


The Dragon of Hogwarts I

by that_wiccan_girl



Series: Galexia Stormwing [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Hogwarts First Year, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-09-24 23:00:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 27,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17109797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/that_wiccan_girl/pseuds/that_wiccan_girl
Summary: Galexia Stormwing comes from a powerful, ancient wizarding family, supposedly drawing heritage from an extinct race of dragons. A family she never got the chance to know. When she was only a few years old, her parents and younger sister were murdered by one of Voldemort's surviving, and still very active, followers, leaving her alive by mistake.After years of abuse and rough survival, she was finally found by Minerva McGonagall, her mother's godmother who was close friends with her grandparents. Galexia is given a home at Hogwarts year round, using the summer break to learn basics, like reading and writing. However, she is petrified of the coming school year, when the empty halls will be filled with people.Despite her fears, she gets sorted into Gryffindor (which was not something anyone was expecting given her family's Slytherin and Ravenclaw history), and even makes three good friends, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and the famous Harry Potter.Galexia has more power than she lets on, and fear brimming under every surface, but her name doesn't define her. Something she desperately needs to prove...





	1. Prologue

Darkness surrounded her, and something was in the darkness. She didn't know what, but it terrified her. When she tried to run, it felt like pulling against chains. She looked at her limbs, and there  _were_  chains. Steel biting into her flesh.

Laughter from a massive crowd suffocated her, getting louder and louder, mixing with the roars of various creatures. She screamed for it to stop, but it was drowned out by the noise.

Galexia Stormwing sat bolt upright. She was covered in a line of sweat, her heart was racing, and her body shook, "Just a dream. Just a dream" she muttered to herself, "I'm not there. I'm at Hogwarts," her hand brushed over the scar around her neck, her other hand grasping at the one on her wrist.

Galexia cast a glance around her room. It was more like an apartment really. A hexagonal room with two large windows was where she lived. Two bookcases jutted between the windows, coming to a point, over which her bed sat. Professor McGonagall had tried to keep the room midway between draconic nest and human room, so the bed's placement was a part of that, along with the many various plants growing everywhere. Between the shelves and under the bed was a small storage space one had to get to by pulling the shelves apart like doors, which was a nice space saver. Opposite the shelves was a tiny kitchen, cut off from the rest of the room with a counter top table. It came with all necessary appliances and had cupboards of various food that Galexia had asked for. To the left of the kitchen, from where the girl was sat, was the door that led to the staircase. The apartment was situated in one of the school's towers, overlooking the mountains and forests, rather than the building below, and well out of the way of any other students. Left again to the door was a small bathroom, a shower, sink, and toilet all cramped together. 

Most people wouldn't have minded the room, but would have been looking for better arrangements if they could, but Galexia loved it. She had never had anything like this, so it was very much welcomed by her, however she was not thinking appreciative thoughts at this moment. Summer was coming to an end, and it had felt like no time at all.

Galexia had spent her summer settling into Hogwarts as her home until she would leave when she was eighteen, but it hadn't just been lazing about. Professor McGonagall had initially encouraged her to explore the castle thoroughly before the rest of the teachers and the students got there when term began.

_"But do it in your **human**  form" Professor McGonagall stressed._

_"But why Aunt Minerva?" Galexia objected, using the name McGonagall had said she could use out-of-term-time, "It feels weird to be walking around on two legs all the time without even a tail or wings to balance"_

_"That's why you should, my dear, because you can't let anyone see you in your other form. Not yet, at least, you're too vulnerable. So get in the habit now"_

What Professor McGonagall was referring to was Galexia's inherited ability to transform into a dragon. Initially only some Stormwings could do it, however about a century prior, they had discovered a way to insure all born Stormwings could do it. But since it was only a century ago, it wasn't public knowledge that every born Stormwing could transform. It resembled that of the Animagus ability, but it differed just as much. Although they could transform into a dragon at will, they could still speak in their draconic form, clothes did not change with them, and they were able to shift to a sort of half-way form that resembled more of an anthropomorphic dragon. Galexia had spent a majority of her life in her draconic form, which was a mixture of dark purples, from dirty lavender to an almost black. A more perfect purple frill with sparkling lavender-tinged white scales sat below a set of deep, dark purple curved horns. The top of her large leathery wings were a more stead-fast purple, but the undersides were a dark, dark purple with more shimmering lavender-stained white scales, making it look like the night sky. Along her spine was a trail of dark purple spines that usually laid flat unless she was riled, in which case they would stand on end. Although her eyes in human form were the same lavenders and purples as her draconic form, her dragon's eyes were a piercing gold, standing out greatly from the dark form of her dragon. 

Currently, as Galexia had great power, but little control, she was vulnerable to any dark witch or wizard still loyal to the terrifying Voldemort, who had very much wanted the Stormwings dead. So for now, she had to keep her head low, and her ability secret.

_"Fine" Galexia huffed, pulling her jacket closer and whisking herself away down the hallway._

She had discovered much of the castle in one day alone, and would most likely be the only first year to actually know their way around from day one after weeks of similar exploration. The only things that spoiled any of it was the ghosts that floated around, usually just chatting among themselves, but they royally terrified the crap out of Galexia. One of the ghosts calling himself Sir Nicholas had been very friendly, introducing himself and asking who she was and where she came from and generally being very polite, but every ghostly part sent Galexia's fight or flight instinct into overdrive, so she fled and avoided them ever since.

However, later on into the summer, Professor McGonagall had slowly begun teaching her how to read and write after she found Galexia to be illiterate.

_"It's not so hard, you'll catch up just fine" McGonagall had reassured as she set up a chalkboard with a swish of her wand._

_Galexia had found it profoundly difficult. She could not concentrate on what McGonagall was saying and could not remember anything she taught even a single day later. After another failed attempt to read a passage from a young reader's book, she banged her head on the desk._

_"I can't do it! I can't do it! Why won't it just go in and stay in?" Galexia banged the side of her head with one fist, "How am I supposed to manage when term begins when I'm too stupid to learn how to even read?"_

_"You just need a bit of extra help, that's all. You're a smart girl, and you're very imaginative"_

_"You're just saying that" Galexia sighed, "Do you think this is even a good idea? Me being here"_

_"We can get you ready for first term, you'll-"_

_"No, I mean being in civilisation at all. I was doing- sort-of-fine in the mountain. All this human stuff is so overwhelming and I haven't even begun school yet" she waved one hand to emphasize, "Maybe I should just turn back into a dragon and go home"_

_McGonagall didn't say anything, instead coming over and sitting down next to her, "When I finally found you out there, you were starving and wounded. I suppose no one knows how tough the wild can be as well as you, but being human is much easier, it's just more taxing on the mind. And all the teachers here can give you as much time and help as you need, so when you leave here to live whichever life you choose, you don't have to be in the wild because you can't cope"_

_Galexia looked up from the parchment._

_"Just give it your all" McGonagall stood up, "Let's leave writing for now and look at expanding your vocabulary" She went to pick up a book, but was interrupted._

_"Thanks, Aunt Minerva"_

_McGonagall smiled as she flipped open the book._

That had all been weeks ago, and now it was only a week before the term began. Most of the teachers had arrived now, prepping everything for the year ahead, but Galexia had already met them all. McGonagall had less and less time to teach Galexia recently, so she had offered her to go with Hagrid, the kindly gamekeeper whom she had spent much of her free time with, to collect a boy called Harry Potter who was being refused his letters, and take him to buy his equipment. This would also allow Galexia to buy her own things.

Today was the day they were to leave, but right now it was early morning. Galexia dropped herself to the floor, dragging a thin blanket over her body to stay warm and paced around. This was going to be her first meeting with someone her own age, and of course, crowds. Big, scary, stifling, loud crowds. Her senses would be on fire today, but that wasn't affecting her mix of terror and excitement. She had checked the list and knew exactly what she would be getting, but she still couldn't stop thinking about it.

Without realising, her hands had scaled and clawed as she had paced. Noticing the glint of scales in moonlight, she stopped and took a breath, forcing them to melt back into her human, light brown skin.

"I'll be fine. Maybe I'll be friends with this Potter? Eh, perhaps it would be better if I just stay away from the other students. But Aunt Minerva said making friends would be best for me. But humans are not trustworthy. But the teachers are nice enough... Argh! Why are humans so hard! The creatures of the wilds are so much easier. Just growl or roar or roll onto your back"

Galexia sighed deeply, sinking to the floor, pulling her knees to her chin.

"I can't do this. All they're doing is dressing up a wild animal and expecting it to act human" she rubbed away the building tears in one eye with the side of her blanket. Suddenly she gripped her hand into a fist and slammed it into the stone below her, pulling the blanket away, "No, I'll do what Aunt Minerva suggested. I'll get through the years here, then I'll choose. Human, or animal. I'll show everyone!"

With the self reassurance, she pulled herself up and returned to bed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, Galexia got herself out of bed and into the shower. The wonderfully strange feeling of hot water trailing down her body, like rain, but concentrated and far more comfortable, was very relaxing. After drying herself and pulling on some comfortable Muggle clothing, she slipped some bread in the toaster and sliced off a chunk of beef. Concentrating on her halfway form, scales emerged on her face, contorting itself in a more draconic shape. She stopped after a second when she felt her clothes pulling as she was headed towards full form.

"Rrrr, I can't do half form. Stupid shift" Galexia growled, but enough of her was shifted to breath fire, just what she needed to quickly roast the slice. She popped the toast out and tore into it all. The beef was charcoal on the outside and still raw on the inside, just as she'd always had it, and the toast was smothered in butter.

After she'd eaten her fill, she washed the plate, shifted back to full human, and slipped out the door. As Galexia strolled down the arching hallway, she couldn't help looking at everything with new eyes. What would this place look like crammed with people? How well could she handle that?

Ahead was the wooden door to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, which intrigued the girl greatly. She technically wasn't allowed in any classroom other than the generic one McGonagall used to teach her, but she couldn't help herself from taking a peek inside. This particular classroom, and subject, both terrified and intrigued her. Would she be classed as something of the Dark Arts? Would the entire class learn how to kill or injure her? Either way, learning how to defend herself from something like Voldemort or his followers would certainly mean she wouldn't have to wait so long to reveal her ability.

She pulled the door open a crack and peeked inside, gazing with deep interest at the charts, models, posters, and figures, all of which were scattered around aside from a few posters already up.

"What d'you think you're doin?" a grizzled voice growled behind her, making her snap away from the door and whirl around. One hand was clawed, scales glinting, and sharpened fangs poked out in a growl before she realised it was Filch. Despite her near shift, she felt glad it hadn't been a full one and could be easily hidden.

"Nothing"

"Look'd to me like you was in a room you shouldn't'a been" he growled back.

"Well I wasn't in it, was I?" Galexia retorted, "Just looking" Although Galexia had great respect for the teachers, McGonagall especially, she loathed Filch. He seemed vaguely conflicted, however, as he certainly hated her on the basis of being a student, but her kindness to his cat, Mrs Norris, granted her a badge of 'not as bad as she could be'.

Filch already seemed to have lost interest and flicked both hands in discontent, "Bah! I'll be 'avin' to deal with more of you bloody kids doin' ten times worse" he stomped off, Mrs Norris about to follow, but stopping for a quick pet from Galexia before whisking away after him.

Once they disappeared, Galexia followed the right path down to the gate to the grounds. 

The scent of the forest washed over her, drifting in on the breeze. Galexia stopped, listening to the ambient sound of rustling leaves and grass, insects and birds making a cacophony of noise. She gazed at the Forbidden Forest. It was like it was calling her, back to the mental simplicity, back to normality. She glanced back at the castle, a feeling of confliction rising in her. She didn't know what she was anymore. If she returned to the mountains as a dragon, her life would be short and painful, but if she stayed here, she would spend her life feeling overwhelmed and out of place. It had never crossed her mind that she wasn't anything other than a dragon, since she'd always been treated as an animal in her younger years and there was no one to make her feel wrong later in her life, but now she'd started exploring her humanity, it was like everything she thought she was had been pulled into question.

Unable to tear her eyes away from the inviting looking trees, she stumbled down the gravel path, running her hands, which had started clawing up the longer she looked at the forest, along the towering rune stones near the gate. Past here was a steep slope down to the hut. Closing her eyes and forcing her head down, she took a deep breath.

Pushing the thought from her mind, she continued down to Hagrid's place, which was a round house of cobblestone with a wooden roof. Even outside, the place had an interesting scent. It reeked of Hagrid, and that was saying something, as his scent was almost always heavily masked by a dozen other things, but the mixture of at least two or three dozen strange scents made her eyes water a little.

Breathing through her mouth she knocked on the door.

"Jus' a sec!" Hagrid answered, the sounds of movement came from inside until the massive door swung open, "Oh hullo Lexy! Come in, come in"

Galexia slunk inside, taking a seat at beside his table which currently had a copper tea pot, a cup, and a small plate holding a slice of cake. Fang, Hagrid's large black boarhound came bounding up to her, resting his head on her knee. At first, the dog had been terrified of her, but now he liked her just as much as anyone.

Hagrid's hut was a single room. Various bits of meat hung from the ceiling, a fire crackled in the fireplace, and a massive bed with a cozy looking quilt sat to the side.

"Yer a bit early, we ain' leavin' 'til much later" he smiled, placing another cup and plate on the table.

"I know, I know, I was just really nervous about later. All those people" she shook her head, "Anyway, I just wanted to hang out here for a bit"

"Oh tha's fine, I always like the company" he poured some tea into her cup, "And I get why yer all nervous. I don' much like crowds neither, and yeh've got tha' whole family shif'in' thing to worry 'bout"

Hagrid hadn't even seen her shift, but he just sort of knew about it. Apparently since he was an expert on any and every magical creature, it took him about ten minutes to figure out she had inherited the ability. He said it was the way she moved, but Galexia just thought McGonagall told him and he was trying to impress her because he liked dragons.

"Yeah, it just takes one little thing to scare me and there could suddenly be a dragon in the middle of London" Galexia sighed, taking a sip of tea, "But I'd rather not talk about any of that. Burn that bridge when we get to it"

Hagrid chuckled, "I don' think tha's the phrase, but I getcha" he placed a slice of cake on her plate, "if yeh want, we could go down t'lake and yeh could go for a fly or summat and I could keep an eye on yeh.."

Galexia laughed, "Is this you asking to see me shift?"

"Well, i's not jus' tha'..."

"Actually, I think I could use the exercise. I haven't flown in a couple days and it makes me antsy" Galexia stood up straight, stretching her arms over her head, "You wanna see a dragon up close that doesn't wanna eat you?" she quickly took a final swig of tea before heading for the door.

"Yeh, yeh, and I'll make sure yeh don't get hurt or nothin'" Hagrid added as he followed her out.

"You can look after my clothes, I like these ones" Galexia trotted down the path, "I'd prefer them not to get destroyed"

Once they were by the lake, Galexia hid behind a massive boulder and stripped down before easily shifting to her full form. Picking up her bundled clothes with the beak at the tip of her snout and slipped out from the boulder. Hagrid looked awestruck.

"Woah!" he grinned, "Tha's AMAZIN'!" 

The spines on her back clacked together as she moved towards the more open space, "It'ssss causssed me a lot of trouble" her voice came out much deeper and raspier, her s's lingering "But I suppose it hasss its uses"

"Are yeh kiddin'? Yeh can turn inta TALKIN' DRAGON and yeh 'suppose' it has 'uses'?" Hagrid trailed after her, clearly really wanting to touch her scales or wings but being too polite to even ask.

Galexia scratched the scar on her neck, where the scales had been broken and the infection had stopped them from ever growing back, leaving her black hide vulnerable. She spread her left wing out, "Go on, touch it. I know you want to"

Hagrid carefully felt her wing, the small, thin scales, giving so little protection to the leathery skin beneath it was negligible. He was trying to keep a straight face, but Galexia could see the unbridled excitement in his eyes.

"I've always wan'ed a dragon of me own" Hagrid beamed, "I could be i's mummy"

"Uh, okay. I mean, mossst dragonsss are assholes that ssssteal your food or worssse. I wouldn't get too tied up with them" Galexia opened both wings properly with a flourish, "Now ssstand back, I don't want to sssmack you or nothing"

Hagrid took a few large steps back. Galexia coiled herself flat on the ground and leapt into the air, going from four legs to two to off the ground. Opening her wings wide and bringing them down as hard as she could, she raised higher into the air slightly. Using her wings like hands, grabbing at air and pulling herself up, she got higher and higher into the sky. She soared away, over the lake. She leaned forward and skimmed atop the water, letting one claw slice through the rippling waves, leaving a spray in her wake.

Pulling up briefly before diving through a rising wave and back into the air. The water around her head and upper torso was quickly dried, but she was left with a damp feeling in between her scales. 

Galexia reached the edge of the lake and was coming to the wall on the edge of the grounds. With a flutter of her wings, she landed on the top, claws digging into stone and leaving crumbling bits of dust beneath her. She looked out towards Hogsmeade, which was barely visible in the distance, little plumes of smoke rising and the tops of pointed roofs jutting out.

Taking a deep breath, she gripped the stone harder, flared out her wings, and let out a deep guttural roar. It bounced around everywhere, trailing from the mountain range past Hogsmeade, to the Forbidden Forest, rattling through Hogwarts and diminishing to whispers around the train station. 

With a nod of satisfaction at having used her scent, and now her roar, to mark her territory better, she awkwardly turned around. She lifted back up into the air and made her way back to where Hagrid was waiting. He was still standing by the boulder, one hand over his eyes as he tried to spot her. 

Galexia came in for a landing, gently touching back down on the grass.

"How far did y'go?"

"To the wall. Near that village - uh, Hogssssmeade was it?"

Hagrid looked impressed, "Yeh got all tha' way in a few minutes? An' I heard that roar all the way from 'ere"

"Yesss yessss, all very cool and what not" Galexia retorted, swiping the clothes from his grasp and disappearing behind the boulder. She shifted back to human and pulled the clothes on.

"What time is it? Are we leaving soon?"

Hagrid pulled out a small watch from one of his many coat pockets and flicked it open, "We still got abou' an hour, bu' we can leave now and stop off for lunch on the way"

"Great. Let's just get this over with"

As they made their way back up to his hut to collect a few things, Hagrid tried telling her all she would need to know about this Potter and his situation.

"'pparently his aunt an' uncle are Muggles who don' much like magic or wizardin' folk, so he might'n' know much 'bout us"

"I'm sure he'll catch up, I mean, I never got taught anything and I'm doing f- well, I'm managing. Sort of. But I think that's more because I spent two years of my life trying to avoid people and surviving on my own" Galexia shrugged.

She waited outside while Hagrid grabbed a few things. As she did so, she looked up at the sky. Grey clouds were far off south in the distance, which unfortunately was the direction they were going.

"Great rain" she growled, "my favourite"

"I got it, now we can be off" Hagrid emerged from the hut, whatever he had clearly having been shoved in one of his pockets.

"I can do this. Aunt Minerva wouldn't have suggested I go if she thought I couldn't"

"Tha's the spirit, now follow me" Hagrid led the way up the path.


	2. The Worst Muggles

"Uh, Hagrid, are you supposing you'll  _drive_ us there? Because that will take hours" Galexia looked down at the bike. A motorbike with a side carriage to be precise.

"Don' be silly Lexy, it flies. Now ge' in" 

Galexia did so, making herself comfortable in the side carriage as Hagrid struck the engine into life and puttered it into the sky. As soon as they left the ground she clung very uncomfortably to the edge, not daring to look down.

"Yeh look terrified girl, I though' yeh'd be fine with flyin'"

"Not... when I don't... have... wings" she stammered, her body rigid and her hands shaking, "This... is... terrifying"

Hagrid chuckled as the motorbike sped along, "Don' worry, we aren' takin' this back"

"Oh good... Am I... flying us? Because... I can't... take you... let alone... another kid"

"Nah, we're gettin' other transport, since we're goin' t'London an' all" 

"Okay, great... now shut up... so I don't... throw up" Galexia's arms were becoming scaly and clawed again as she poked holes through the metal with her grip.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was horrible and stormy. The wind battered the motorbike and made Galexia feel even more queasy. They landed rather roughly on the edge of a large rock quite a way out to sea. Up the path was a rather miserable looking house that was crumbling and looked like it was soggy, which made sense, since there was an awful storm going on. 

"Oh, me back and behin' hurt so much" Hagrid stretched, "Feels like tha' took ages"

"Because it did" Galexia shouted over the noise, easing her way onto the ground, legs shaking. 

Hagrid waved his little pink umbrella at the bike, making it disappear.

"Good riddance" Galexia groaned.

Hagrid led the way up the path towards the house. It was rather hard to see in the pitch blackness, but even in her human form, Galexia had excellent night vision. They finally reached the front door, and Hagrid knocked once, his great fist making a loud booming noise that made the whole place shake.

No one answered, so Hagrid knocked again.

"Who's there?" a shout came from inside, sounding pretty muffled against the wind, "I warn you! I'm armed!"

Hagrid glanced over at Galexia and gave two short laughs, "Muggles"

He knocked on the door again, but hitting it so hard the entire door collapsed in and crashed on the floor. Hagrid squeezed his way into the house, having to stoop really low, but even so his head still brushed against the ceiling. Galexia slipped past so she was stood beside him. The inside of the place reeked of seaweed and looked even more disheveled than the outside. In the meek looking fire place sat a few crumpled crisp packets. As Hagrid attempted to fit the door back, Galexia studied the four humans stood in the room. A large, fat man with a mustache holding a shotgun stood in front of a thin, slender woman with a long neck. Sat on the sagging couch was a similarly fat boy with a stupid looking expression on his face. But on the floor between the couch and the fireplace was the one they were after, a small boy with scruffy black hair and round glasses.

"Couldn' make us a cup o' tea, could yet? I's not been an easy journey" Hagrid only needed to take two steps to be stood in front of the sofa, "Budge up, yeh great lump" he commanded to the fat boy. As Galexia moved to sit beside him, going behind the couch, the fat boy squeaked and made a bolt for his parents, running right into Galexia.

"Out of my way, weakling" she growled, shoving him towards his parents. He hid behind his mother, who was hiding behind the fat man as Galexia instead stood beside the sofa.

"An' here's Harry" Hagrid smiled, making the boy look up, "Las' time I saw yeh, yeh was only a baby. Yeh look a lot like yer dad, but yeh've got yer mum's eyes"

"I demand that you two leave at once!" The fat man rasped from behind them, "You are breaking and entering!"

Galexia just snickered back, arms folded over her chest.

"Ah, shut up Dursley, yeh great prune" Hagrid leaned back, yanked the gun from the fat man's hands, bent it into a knot like it was string and threw it into the corner. The fat man made a strange noise before shrinking back.

"Anyway" Hagrid turned back to Harry, "a very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here. I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all righ'" he pulled out a slightly squashed box from his coat and handed it to him.

"I ain't got nothing for you kiddo, I don't do this whole 'birthday' thing" Galexia shrugged, pushing her hands in her coat pockets.

Harry opened the box to reveal a large chocolate cake with a message written in green icing, which Galexia took a bit too long to read as  _Happy Birthday Harry_.

Harry looked back up at the two, "Who are you?"

Hagrid chuckled, "True, we ain' introduced ourselves. I'm Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts" he held out a hand and shook Harry's entire arm.

"And I'm Galexia. Galexia Stormwing" she didn't move to imitate the greeting, "My friends call me Lexy,"

The boy, along with the Muggle family seemed rather intimidated by her. Even though she was very short and weak looking, the jagged clawed scar along the centre of her face made her appear far more fearsome. The ringed scar around her neck and wrists, which could be seen whenever she raised an arm and her sleeve fell a little, were particularly obvious. It was painfully clear to Galexia that anyone who saw her wanted to ask about them, but everyone was too polite to do so. She was rather thankful that the rest of her body remained covered, as the various scratch marks on her torso and the unruly mess of whip scars on her back would make even the most polite person beg to be told their stories.

"Wha' 'bout tha' tea then eh?" Hagrid continued, rubbing his hands together, "I'd not say no t'summat stronger if yeh've got it mind"

He gave a snort at the sight of the fireplace and used his umbrella to start a proper fire. The damp house was soon full of warm light, making Galexia feel ten times better, since she only produced a third the normal body heat of someone her size. Something she got from her ancestors, dragon or not, they were all very reptilian.

Hagrid sat back and started rummaging in his pockets, producing the copper kettle from earlier, a packet of sausages, a poker, a teapot, a few chipped mugs, and a bottle of what smelt like alcohol which Hagrid had a drink of before making tea.

As the sausages sizzled away, Harry couldn't stop staring at Galexia.

"What are you so fascinated by?" she asked, trying her best to sound friendly.

"I don't mean to be rude, but your name is very... different" he said.

"Well I didn't choose it and my parents didn't stick around long enough to tell me"

"They abandoned you?"

"No, they died. Got murdered apparently, along with my little sister" Galexia shrugged, "I've got bigger things to worry about, so I ain't too fussed on the whole thing"

"My parents died too" he was obviously trying to find something in common with her, "But I kind of miss them? I mean, I never knew them, but I would liked to have"

Hagrid slid the sausages onto a little plate.

"Don't touch anything he gives you Dudley" The fat man instructed behind them, making Hagrid chuckle.

"Yer great puddin' of a son don' need fattenin' anymore Dursley, don' worry"

Galexia smirked, taking a sausage and eating it in two bites. Hagrid passed the rest to Harry, who wolfed them down quickly without taking his eyes off Hagrid or Galexia.

"I'm sorry, but I still don't really know who you are" Harry finally asked.

Hagrid passed a cup of tea to Galexia and took a gulp from his own cup.

"Call me Hagrid, everyone does. An' like I told yeh, I'm Keeper of Keys a' Hogwarts. Yeh'll know all 'bout Hogwarts, o' course"

"Er, no" Harry replied nervously, "Sorry"

Hagrid looked shocked, but Galexia just shrugged.

"Sorry?" Hagrid growled, glaring at the Dursleys, "It's them tha's should be sorry! I knew yeh weren' gettin' yer letters, but I never though' yeh wouldn' even know 'bout Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yer parents learned it?"

"Oh come on Hagrid! I come from an ancient wizarding family, and I didn't know about it" Galexia growled a little, sipping her tea.

"Yeah, but you was out in th' wild and all. He lives with actual people so he should know where 'is parents learned it all!" Hagrid retorted.

"All what?" Harry butted in.

"ALL WHAT?!" Hagrid's voice was like thunder, "Now wait jus' one second!" he jumped up and turned to face the Dursleys, who were trying to shrink into the shadows as much as possible, "Do yeh mean t'tell me that this boy, this boy, knows nothin' 'bout... 'bout ANYTHING?!"

"I know some things," Harry protested, "I can, you know, do maths and stuff"

"Hey, that's more than me" Galexia smiled, trying to appear friendly.

"'Bout  _our_ world, I mean," Hagrid waved one hand, " _Yer_ world. _Our_ world.  _Yer parents'_  world"

"What world?"

"DURSLEY!" Hagrid shouted, making the entire Muggle family go pale and press as close to the wall as they could.

"But yeh must know 'bout yer mum and dad" Hagrid interrupted, "I mean, they're  _famous_. Yer  _famous_ "

"What? My, my mum and dad weren't famous. Were they?" Harry stammered a little.

"Yeh don' know... yeh don' know" Hagrid ran his fingers through his hair, staring at Harry, "Yeh don' know what yeh  _are_?"

"Stop!" The father Dursley commanded, suddenly stepping out from the shadow, "Stop right there sir! I forbid you to tell the boy anything!"

"Yeh never told him?" Hagrid roared furiously at him, "Never told 'im what was in the letter Dumbledore left fer him? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it Dursley! An' yeh've kept it from 'im all these years?"

"Keep what from me?" Harry asked, barely able to contain himself.

"STOP! I FORBID YOU!" Dursley shouted in panic.

Suddenly, Galexia leapt over the couch. Her already thin patience and short fuse had become dangerously close to being snapped and lit, so to stop herself from fully shifting and killing someone, she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, her hands shifting a little to give her strength. She lifted him clean off the ground, leaving his feet dangling in the air. She looked at him with blazing golden eyes and bared fangs, small purple scales spotting her face.

"And jusssst  _what_ will you do to sssstop usss?" She hissed through bared teeth, her voice reaching the deep guttural rumble it did when she shifted fully, "The more I hear your  _annoying_ voice, the more I want to rip out your spine. Sssso jussst SHUT UP!" She dropped him, leaving him on the dirty floor, scrabbling to get back up and away from her. Galexia let her scales melt back to human skin and went to sit next to Harry.

"He means this" Galexia leaned forward and opened her palm. She didn't want to show her shifting ability to anyone important yet, so she did something she could do now she was learning better control. A small purple flame flickered an inch above her hand, "Magic" Harry gazed at it with awe, "And you can do it too Harry. You're a wizard"

There was silence.

"I'm a what?" Harry 

"A wizard, o' course" Hagrid encouraged, "An' a thumpin' good'un, I'd say, once yeh've been trained up a bit. With a mum an' dad like yers, what else would yeh be? An' I reckon i's 'bout time yeh read yer letter"

Hagrid handed Harry a yellowish envelope, much like the one McGonagall had given Galexia before it was revealed she couldn't read. She didn't even attempt to read the emerald green writing on the front, instead just letting him read to himself.

"What does it mean, they await my owl?" Harry stammered at last, looking up.

"Gallopin' Gorgon! Tha' reminds me" Hagrid suddenly started going through his coat pockets and pulled out a living, rather ruffled owl, a quill, and a piece of parchment. He quickly scribbled something which Galexia would normally take a few minutes to read right side up, let alone upside down, so she didn't bother and just went back to glaring at the Dursleys.

Hagrid rolled up the paper, offered it to the owl, who took it in its beak, and threw the owl out into the storm through the door. He came and sat back down. Galexia noticed Harry's mouth was opened in shock, which made her chuckle.

"Where was I?" Hagrid muttered to himself.

Unfortunately, however the father Dursley seemed to have forgotten all about Galexia's threats and moved into the firelight.

"He's not going" he said with a nod, as if it were all decided.

"I'd like ter see a great Muggle like you stop 'im" Hagrid grunted.

"A what?" Harry asked.

"Non-magic folk. And you got stuck with the most  _annoying_ Muggles ever. I would've ended up tearing out their vocal cords a  _long_ time ago" Galexia explained, adding in a threat in a more subtle effort to get Dursley to shut up.

"We swore when we took him in that we'd put a stop to that rubbish. Swore we'd stamp it out of him! Wizard indeed!" Dursley shouted.

"You  _knew_?" Harry seemed outraged now, "You  _knew_ I'm a- a wizard?"

"Knew?!" The mother shrieked, stepping forward, "Knew?! Of course we knew! How could you not be? My dratted sister being what she was? Oh she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that- that  _school_ \- and came home every holiday with her pockets full of frog-spawn, turning teacups into rats. I was the only one who saw her for what she was- a freak! But my mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that, they were proud of having a witch in the family!" she took a breath before barrelling on, "Then she met that  _Potter_ at school and they left and got married and had you, and of course I knew you'd be just the same, just as strange, just as- as-  _abnormal_  - and then, if you please, she went and got herself blown up and we got landed with you!"

"Blown up? You told me they died in a car crash!" Harry shouted back, his face sinking to white.

"CAR CRASH?!" Hagrid roared, jumping up, his boots making the place shake, "'ow could a car crash kill Lily an' James Potter? I's an outrage! A scandal! Harry Potter not knowin' 'is own story when every kid in our world knows 'is name!"

"But why? What happened?" Harry looked over at Galexia, who had provided answers so far.

She shrugged, "I don't know kid. I'm new to all this too"

"I never expected this" Hagrid replied in a low, worried tone, "I had no idea. When Dumbledore told me there migh' be trouble gettin' hold of yeh, how much yeh didn' know" he clearly wanted to fill him in, "I don' know if I'm the righ' person ter tell yeh- bu' someone's gotta- yeh can' go off ter Hogwarts not knownin'"

He threw a dirty look at the Dursleys, who had shrunk back into the shadows.

"Well, i's best yeh know as much as I can tell yeh- mind, I can' tell yeh everythin', i's a great myst'ry, parts of it..."

He sat back down and stared into the fire for a few seconds, "It begins, I suppose, with- with a person called- but i's incredible yeh don' know his name, everyone in our world knows-"

"Who?"

"Well- I don' like sayin' the name if I can help it. No one does"

"Why not?" Harry persisted.

"Gulpin' gargoyles, Harry, people are still scared. Blimey, this is difficult. See, there was this wizard who went... bad. As bad as yeh could go. Worse. Worse th' worse. 'is name was..." Hagrid gulped, but didn't go on.

"Could you write it down?" Harry suggested.

"Nah- can' spell it"

Harry looked at Galexia, "Don't look at me, I can't read or write that well"

"'is name was- was  _Voldemort_ " Hagrid shuddered and Galexia flinched a little, her fists clenched and her teeth bared a little in a grimace, "Don' make me say it again. Anyway, this- this wizard, 'bout twenty years ago now, started lookin' fer followers" Galexia gave another rumbling growl, "Got 'em too- some were afraid, some jus' wanted a bit of 'is power, 'cause he was gettin' himself power, all righ'. Dark days, Harry. Didn' know who ter trust, didn' dare get friendly with strange wizards or witches... terrible things 'appened. He was takin' over. 'Course, some stood up to him- an' he killed 'em. Horribly"

"Was that what happened to yours?" Harry asked Galexia.

"Sort of. Aunt Minerva told me they stood up to him while he was around, but evaded him. One of his followers tracked them down, but he was sloppy and didn't do it right and got caught. That's why I'm still here" Galexia replied, crossing her arms again.

"I knew yeh mum Lexy, she was one o' the nicest students. An' she didn' mind humorin' my like of dragons whenever she visited" Hagrid blew his nose in a massive handkerchief he pulled from one pocket, "One of th' only safe places left was Hogwarts. Reckon Dumbledore's th' only one You-Know-Who was afraid of. Didn' dare try takin' the school, not jus' then, anyway" he continued, putting the handkerchief back, "Now, yer mum an' dad were as good a witch an' wizard as I ever knew. Head boy an' girl at Hogwarts in their day! Suppose the myst'ry is why You-Know-Who never tried to get 'em on 'is side before... probably knew they were too close ter Dumbledore ter want anythin' ter do with the Dark Side.

"Maybe he though' he could persuade 'em... maybe he jus' wanted 'em outta the way. All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where you was all livin', on Halloween ten years ago. You was just a year old. He came ter yer house an'- an'-"

He pulled out the handkerchief again and blew his nose once more, "Sorry, i's so sad. Both you two's parents were nicer than anyone at Hogwarts.

"You-Know-Who killed 'em. An' then- an' this is the real myst'ry of th'thing- he tried to kill you too. Wanted ter make a clean job of it, I suppose, or maybe he jus' liked killin' by then. But he couldn' do it. Never wondered how you got tha' mark on yer forehead? Tha' was no ordinary cut. Tha's what yeh get when a powerful, evil curse touches yeh- took care of yer mum an' dad an' yer house, even- bu' it didn' work on you, an' tha's why yer famous, Harry. No one ever lived after he decided ter kill 'em, no one except you, an' he'd killed some o' the best witches an' wizards of the age- the McKinnons, the Bones, the Prewetts- an' you was only a baby, an' you lived"

Harry was watching him, his eyes glazed over as if he was remembering something, a slight expression of pain crossing his face.

"Took yeh from th' ruined house meself, on Dumbledore's orders. Brought yeh ter this lot..." Hagrid growled a little as he cast a look at the Dursleys.

"Load of old tosh" The father Dursley glared at Hagrid, his fists clenched, "Now, you listen here, boy. I accept there's something strange about you, probably nothing a good beating wouldn't have cured- and as for all this about your parents, well, they were weirdos, no denying it, and the world's better off without them in my opinion- asked for all they got, getting mixed up with these wizarding types- just what I expected, always knew they'd come to a sticky end-"

Galexia whirled around, "I swear! One more word and I'll rip all your pathetic family's throats out and Harry can live with me!" she roared, taking just one step forward, which made them flatten themselves back against the wall.

"Tha's better" Hagrid said, "Thank yeh kindly Lexy"

"But what happened to Vol- sorry, I mean, You-Know-Who?" Harry brought them back to the subject at hand.

"Good question Harry. Disappeared. Vanished. Same nigh' he tried ter kill yeh. Makes yeh even more famous. Tha's the biggest myst'ry, see... he was gettin' more an' more powerful- why'd he go? Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in 'im t'die. Some say he's still out there, bidin' 'is time, like, but I don' believe it. People who was on 'is side came back ter ours. Some of 'em came outta kinda trances. Don' reckon they could've done if he was comin' back. Most of us reckon he's still out there somewhere, but lost 'is powers. Too weak to carry on. 'Cause somethin' 'bout you finished 'im, Harry. There was somethin' goin' on that nigh' he hadn' counted on- I dunno what it was, no one does- but something' 'bout you stumped him, all righ'" Hagrid explained, looking at him with warmth.

"Hagrid," Harry replied quietly, "I think you must've made a mistake. I don't think I can be a wizard"

Hagrid and Galexia both chuckled.

"Not a wizard, ha" Galexia smirked.

"Never made things happen when you was scared or angry?" Hagrid asked.

Harry looked into the fire, a small smile spreading across his face.

"See? Harry Potter, not a wizard- you wait, yeh'll be righ' famous at Hogwarts" Hagrid beamed back, "An' yeh'll have Lexy 'ere as a friend righ' from the start"

"Hey, I'm default friend!" Galexia protested, "You have to actually make friends with me" 

"Haven't I told you he's not going?" the father Dursley insisted, "He's going to Stonewall High and he'll be grateful for it. I've read those letters and he needs all sorts of rubbish- spell books and wands and-"

"And you'll stop him?" Galexia looked at him with an amused look in her eyes, "Because, I'm going with him, and there is no way you'll be able to stop _me_ "

"Stop Lily an' James Potter's son goin' ter Hogwarts! Yer mad. 'is name's been down ever since he was born. He's off ter the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. Seven years there and he won' know himself. He'll be with youngsters of 'is own sort fer a change, an' he'll be under the greatest 'eadmaster Hogwarts ever 'ad, Albus Dumbeld-"

"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" Dursley shouted back, but now it was Hagrid's turn to snap. He seized his umbrella and pointed it directly at them, "NEVER-INSULT-ALBUS-DUMBLEDORE-IN-FRONT-OF-ME!"

He swished the umbrella and pointed it at the fat boy. With a flash of purple and a squeal, the boy was dancing around with his hands over his bottom, howling in pain. When he turned his back, Galexia caught sight of a pig's tail poking out. She had to bite back her salivating mouth as his scent now resembled that of a pig's, which kicked her instincts into hungry predator mode.

The fat boy's father roared, yanking him and the mother and the boy into the other room, casting a last terrified look at the two intruders before slamming the door.

Hagrid looked down at the umbrella and stroked his beard.

"That was great Hagrid. If I could do magic like that back in the wilds, I never would've starved" Galexia smirked.

"Not now Lexy, I shouldn'ta lost me temper" Hagrid retorted, "but it didn' work anyway. Meant ter turn 'im inta pig, but I suppose he was so much like a pig anyway there wasn' much left ter do. Be grateful if neither of yeh didn' mention that ter anyone a' Hogwarts. I'm- er- not supposed ter do magic, strictly speakin'. I was allowed ter do a bit ter follow Harry an' get yer letters to yeh an' stuff- one of the reasons I was so keen ter take on the job-"

"Why aren't you supposed to do magic?" Harry asked.

"Oh, well- I was at Hogwarts meself, but I- er- got expelled, ter tell yeh the truth. In me third year. They snapped me wand in half an' everythin' but Dumbledore let me stay on as gamekeeper. Great man, Dumbledore"

"Why were you expelled?" 

"I's gettin' late an' we've got lots ter do tomorrow," Hagrid replied, ignoring Harry's question, "gotta get up ter town, get you two's books an' that"

He took off his coat and threw it at Harry.

"You can kip under that, don' mind if it wriggles a bit, I think I still got a couple dormice in one o' th' pockets. Lexy, yeh don' mind sharin' do yeh?"

"I don't mind, but trust me, sleeping next to a d- to me would probably not end well" Galexia shrugged, "I can sleep on the bare floor, it's fine"

She paced around the edge of the wall, pulling off her coat, until she hit the corner and lay down, curling into a tight ball. Focusing her shift on just her back, she felt her back scaling over and her wing bursting through her shirt, the fabric ripping. She used her wing to cover her body and pulled her jacket over her back to keep that warm. 

Despite Galexia's measures to warm herself, she shivered. Mentally, she cursed her heritage for her cold bloodedness, but instantly regretted blaming them for it. It took her a couple hours to fall asleep, but that was how it always was.


	3. Adventures in Diagon Alley

Galexia was awoken by her nightmares as usual, making her jerk awake and sit up straight, a shaking hand clutching her forehead.

Harry was looking at some coins while Hagrid was stretching on the sofa.

"Y'alrigh' Lexy? Looks like yeh've seen a ghost" Hagrid looked over at her with a worried expression.

"No no, it was just nightmares again. I don't want to talk about it" she replied, yanking her wing back into herself and pulling her coat on.

"Um, Hagrid?" Harry asked, looking up. Hagrid grunted to show he was listening.

"I haven't got any money. And you heard Uncle Vernon last night... he won't pay for me to go and learn magic"

"Don' worry 'bout that" Hagrid stood, "D'yeh think yer parents didn' leave yeh anything?"

"But if they're house was destroyed-"

"They didn' keep their gold in the house boy! Nah, firs' stop fer us is Gringotts. Wizard's bank. Lexy's got a huge fortune to go pick from t'get her things too. Have a sausage, they're not bad cold. An' I wouldn' say no teh a bit of yer birthday cake neither"

Galexia immediately went for the cake, having never tasted it before, she sliced off a piece for herself and took a bite, eyes lighting up at the taste.

"Wizards have  _banks_?"

"Jus' the one. Gringotts. Run by goblins so yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it, I'll tell yeh that. Never mess with goblins. Gringotts is the safest place in the world fer anything yeh want ter keep safe- 'cept maybe Hogwarts. As a matter of fact, I gotta visit Gringotts anyway fer Dumbledore. Hogwarts business" Hagrid stood a bit taller, "He usually gets me ter do important stuff fer 'im. Fetchin' you- gettin' things from Gringotts- knows he can trust me, see"

"I'm kinda surprised he let me come along" Galexia muttered.

"'Cause he trusts Professor McGonagall an' she said it'd be good for yeh" Hagrid replied, "You two got everythin'? Come on then" he strode outside, Galexia trailing right behind him and Harry jogging to keep up.

The storm had passed, leaving a lovely blue sky and shimmering ocean. There was a small boat on the shore that must've been how the Muggles got there in the first place.

"How did you get here?" Harry looked around in confusion

"Flew" Hagrid replied.

" _Flew_?"

"Yeah, it was a  _horrifying_ ride" Galexia shuddered, "Be glad we aren't allowed to magic our way back"

"We'll use this to get 'cross the water" Hagrid added, leading the way down to the little boat.

Once they were settled in, Hagrid piped up, "Seems a shame ter row, though. If I was ter- er- speed things up a bi', would neither of yeh mind not mentionin' it at Hogwarts"

"Go for it" Galexia tried her best not to touch the salt water sloshing around the bottom of the boat.

"Of course not" Harry added eagerly.

Hagrid pulled out the pink umbrella and tapped it twice on the side of the boat. It lurched into action and they sped towards land. Unfortunately, Galexia was gripping the side of the boat and trying her best not to throw up.

"Why would you be mad to try and rob Gringotts?" Harry asked, mostly at Hagrid as Galexia was looking increasingly ill.

"Spells- enchantments" Hagrid unfolded his newspaper, "They say there's dragons guardin' the high-security vaults. And then yeh gotta find yer way. Gringotts is 'undreds of miles under London, see. Deep under the Underground. Yeh'd die of hunger tryin' t'get out, even if yeh did manage ter get yer hands on summat"

Harry remained silent, as did Hagrid, which made Galexia feel slightly better as she wasn't under any social obligation to talk.

"Ministry o'Magic messin' things up as usual" Hagrid growled, flipping a page.

"There's a Ministry of Magic?" Harry asked.

"'Course. They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, course, but he'd never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius Fudge got th'job. Bungler if ever there was one. So he pelts Dumbledore with owls every mornin', askin' fer advice"

"But what does a Ministry of Magic  _do_?"

"Well, their main job is t'keep it from Muggles that there's witches an' wizards up an' down the country"

"Why?"

"Why? Blimey Harry, everyone'd be wantin' magic solutions to their problems. Nah we're best left alone"

The boat bumped into the harbor of the small town across from the rock and Galexia scrambled back onto solid ground.

"Thank the gods! Land! Sweet stable land!" she staggered to her feet, "I hate ocean travel"

They walked through the small town towards the train station. Even in a small place like this, the scents of machinery, people, animals, and rotting food, invisible to humans, was overwhelming to Galexia. The sounds weren't so bad, since it was a rather quiet morning, but that made her more nervous for London. It was smell ten times worse than this, and be a hundred times louder. The few people that meandered around stared at Hagrid's towering height. Every once in a while, Hagrid would point to something and say "See that? Things these Muggles dream up, eh?"

Galexia supposed Harry was getting rather annoyed at what Hagrid was doing as he changed the subject, "Didn't you say there are  _dragons_ at Gringotts?"

"Well, so they say" Hagrid replied, "Crikey, I'd like a dragon"

"You'd  _like_ one?"

"Ever since I was a kid"

"I keep trying to tell him that dragons are pretty much all assholes but he keeps insisting" Galexia shrugged.

"Wait, you've  _seen multiple_  dragons before" Harry asked with wide eyes.

"I used to live out in a mountain range and had to defend my territory from quite a few creatures. Plenty of dragons tried to use brute strength to kill me, but I outsmarted all of 'em" Galexia stood a bit taller with pride, "I was the top predator of my territory"

"No one will pickin' no fights with yeh" Hagrid smiled, "Here we go"

They had finally got to the station. Hagrid didn't understand Muggle money and Galexia didn't understand money full stop, so Harry got their tickets for the ride to London. They got on the train and waited for it to set off. The few people littered about the train stared at Hagrid as he took up two seats and started knitting to pass the time. Galexia had pulled out a sketchbook and was sketching out a rather lovely picture of a mountaintop.

"Still got yer letters?" Hagrid counted stitches as he spoke.

"I have mine memorised" Galexia replied, not taking her eyes off her book, but Harry pulled his letter out of his pocket.

"Good" Hagrid smiled, "There's a list there of everythin' yeh need"

Harry unfolded the second piece of paper that contained the list and read over it.

"Can we buy all this in London?"

"If yeh know where to go"

Galexia couldn't stop the small growl coming from her throat. She was absolutely dreading what would occur in a while.

The train lurched into life and began its journey towards the great city. All Galexia found out on the trip however, was that she appeared to get motion sick on any form of vehicle. She ended up spending a majority of the time in the train car's bathroom, trying her best not to make a mess.

After completely emptying what little was in her stomach, the train came to a stop in London and she could finally get out.

"I swear, I hate every form of vehicle" Galexia muttered in annoyance. 

As soon as they entered the streets, every one of Galexia's senses were on fire. She couldn't work out any individual scents, it was like being hit by a tsunami, she had to just stick to breathing through her mouth so she wouldn't lose her mind. The sound was overwhelming, gigantic swathes of people talking and shouting. It was deafening. Getting through crowds was a nightmare; everyone was bumping into her or pushing her out of the way. She recalled McGonagall's advice a while back when Galexia expressed concern for the coming school year, imagining oneself in one's preferred 'happy place'. She placed herself back in her room in Hogwarts, no people, just the sound of whistling wind and the murmur of trees far below.

Neither of the two kids had ever been to London, so they just followed Hagrid around as he weaved through streets. They had to take the Underground to get to their destination, which made Galexia feel much worse, and Hagrid's complaining of the small seats and the slow trains did not help.

"I don' know how Muggles manage without magic" Hagrid grumbled as they climbed a set of metal stairs that was supposedly meant to be moving.

They got to a street full of shops and choked with people. Thankfully, Hagrid parted the crowd easily, so Galexia and Harry could just stick close and they wouldn't be touched. They passed an insane amount of shops, all full of people selling all sorts of things. Galexia didn't fully understand it all yet, but it seemed so much easier than when she lived in the mountains. She didn't have to hunt for food or defend her territory or find one of the few herbs she knew that healed. But now she could just buy food, security, and healing in a single two hour trip.

Hagrid halted suddenly in the street, making Galexia bump into him, "This is it. The Leaky Cauldron. I's a famous place"

It was a rather dirty looking pub that Galexia could tell had an enchantment on it. When she looked at the place, she could sort of see a black shimmer around it that was trying to avert her eyes. 

"The one with the black glow thing about it?" Galexia asked Hagrid, looking up at him. He gave her a quizzical look.

"Black glow? Yeh mean yeh can  _see_ the spell?" Hagrid chuckled, "Tha's the dragon in yeh. Yer mum could see long-lastin' spells on objects too" he whispered to her. Bringing himself back up to full height, he steered the two kids inside before they could ask too many loud questions in a crowd full of muggles.

The inside was very shabby, but it had a very comfortable feeling about it. A few old women were sitting in the corner, one smoking a long pipe and both chatting eagerly. A small man in a top hat was talking to the bald bartender. The chatter all stopped when they walked in, instead smiling and waving at Hagrid. The bartender grabbed an empty glass.

"The usual, Hagrid?"

"Can' Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business" clapping Harry on the shoulder so hard he almost toppled to the ground.

"Good Lord," the bartender peered at Harry, "is this- can this be-?"

The entire pub went very quiet.

"Bless my soul" whispered the bartender, "Harry Potter... what an honour"

He rushed over to him, seizing his hand, "Welcome back, Mr Potter, welcome back"

Harry looked rather confused and taken back. The old woman with the pipe was puffing away madly despite it not being lit, and Hagrid was beaming. The place suddenly went mad with the sound of scraping chairs and the entire populace of the pub lining up to shake Harry's hand.

Galexia pushed her way out of the crowd and went to stand against the back wall, arms crossed and watching what was going on silently with an unintentional glare.

As the entire pub talked and talked to Harry, a rather pale young man with a deep purple turban and a horrible, strange scent oozing off of it.

"Professor Quirrell!" Hagrid smiled, bringing Harry in front of him, "Harry, Lexy, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts"

"P-P-Potter" Quirrell stammered, "c-can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you"

"Nice to meet you too" Galexia growled.

"What is your n-name? Full, I m-mean"

"Galexia Stormwing"

Quirrell looked like he'd been burned, he flinched back and seemed more nervous than ever.

"St-St-Stormwing? Are y-y-you- I m-mean-?"

"No" she hissed, "I'm not able to shift, if that's what you're asking"

She didn't know why she felt so aggressive towards him. There was something about him. Some dark power, some  _serious_ dark power that made her hackles rise. It took every piece of self-control she had not to shift now and attack him or run away.

"What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?" Harry asked.

"D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts" he muttered, "N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter? Or you, St-St-Stormwing?" he laughed nervously, "You'll be g-getting all your equ-equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, my-myself" he looked terrified at the thought. The rest of the pub pulled Harry back into the crowd, not wanting to let him go anywhere.

Galexia slunk back off to the wall she had been stood against and continued to watch the crowd. Although every so often she would shoot a glance at Quirrell, trying to place the awful stench around him. He caught her staring as her nose twitched at the smell, making him stumble to the back door and leave.

After far too long, Hagrid finally stood over the crowd and shouted, "Must get on- lots ter buy. Come on you two" Hagrid pulled them through the back door Quirrell exited through. On the other side was a small courtyard that held nothing but a trash can and a couple weeds.

"Told yeh, didn' I? Told yeh you was famous. Even Professor Quirrell was tremblin' ter meet yeh- mind you, he's usually tremblin'" Hagrid grinned at Harry.

"Is he always that nervous?" Harry asked.

"Oh yeah. Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was studyin' outta books but then he took a year off ter get some firsthand experience. They say he met vampires in the Black Forest, and there was a nasty bit o'trouble with a hag- never been the same since. Scared of the students, scared of his own subject- now where's me umbrella?" Hagrid went fumbling in his coat for it.

"Don't trust him" Galexia growled, "there's something not right about him. I can't place it. It reminds of  _something_ bad, but I don't know what"

"Tha' could jus' be 'cause he deals with Dark Arts stuff" Hagrid waved one hand as he counted bricks.

Galexia snorted, "Then don't blame me when something horrible happens"

"Three up... two across..." Hagrid muttered, "righ', stand back" he touched one brick with the tip of his umbrella and it quivered, like it was trying to get out. A small hole appeared and spread, like water in brickwork, until a large archway led into a messy cobbled street.

"Welcome, to Diagon Alley" Hagrid grinned, clearly feeling a little show-off-y.

As they walked through, the archway disappeared, becoming a normal wall again. Even through Galexia couldn't read any of the signs without stopping, she didn't really need to, as most of the shops were rather self-explanatory with stacks of various wizarding materials on display.

"We gotta get yer money first" Hagrid said absently as he led them through the streets. Harry was looking in every direction, but Galexia was looking at the ground, focusing on her happy place as she avoided going near anyone.

"Gringotts" Hagrid introduced, presenting a gigantic, white marble building with bronze doors. Next to the door stood a creature that was a bit shorter than Galexia, which was saying something, since she was at least a head shorter than Harry. It had a cunning looking face and a pointed beard, and wore a scarlet and gold uniform. It bowed to them as it opened the door with very long finger. Past the bronze door was a silver set with words engraved on them.

Galexia huffed a little.

Hagrid noticed, "Would yeh like me t'read it for yeh?"

She nodded.

"Enter, stranger, but take heed,

Of what awaits the sin of greed,

For those who take, bu' do not earn, 

Must pay most dearly in their turn.

So if yeh seek beneath our floors,

A treasure that was never yers,

Thief, yeh 'ave been warned, beware,

Of findin' more than treasure there.

Like I said, yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it" 

Another pair of goblins bowed to them as they passed the silver doors into a giant marble hall. Many more goblins were sitting on stools behind a counter scribbling, weighing coins, and examining precious stones. A bunch more goblins were showing visitors about. Hagrid led the two two kids for one of the goblins at a counter.

"Mornin'" Hagrid greeted a free goblin, "we've come ter take some money from two safes. Mr Potter and Miss Stormwing"

"You have their keys, sir?"

"Got them 'ere somewhere" Hagrid rummaged around in his pockets, scattering a handful of moldy dog biscuits over the goblin's notebook, making both the goblin and Galexia's nose wrinkle. "Got it" Hagrid replied at last, holding up two small golden keys with a grin.

The goblin inspected them closely before nodding, "Seems in order"

"An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," Hagrid added threw out his chest, "It's 'bout the You-Know-What in vault seven 'undred and thirteen"

The goblin took the letter and read it carefully and nodded again, "Very well" he handed it back to Hagrid, "I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!"

Another goblin came running out of a side door and led them through another door.

"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Harry asked as they followed Griphook.

"Can' tell yeh that" Hagrid replied, "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh that"

They followed Griphook through another door into a stone passageway lit with flaming torches. It reminded Galexia greatly of the cave she used to live in back in the mountains. The passageway sloped down so steeply she was trying her best to grip at. At the bottom was a set of little railway tracks at which they stopped. Griphook whistled and a cart came hurtling up to them.

"Oh no, more vehicles" Galexia grumbled as they climbed in.

With a jolt, they were off down the confusing maze of passages. Galexia gripped the side as she felt her still empty stomach beginning to gurgle in complaint.

They went deeper and deeper, rattling along the track. Harry asked the group something, but Galexia was more focused on keeping her stomach acid in her stomach. Even Hagrid was beginning to look a bit green.

When Hagrid and Galexia got out the cart, they were leaning against the wall to ground themselves better.

"Mr Potter's vault" Griphook commented as he used one gold key to open the vault door. Green smoke came billowing out, revealing mounds of gold, silver, and bronze coins. Harry looked astounded as he piled some into a small bag coin purse.

"All yers" Hagrid smiled, "Gold are Galleons. Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon, and twenty-nine bronze Knuts to a Sickle. Easy enough. Right, tha' should be enough fer a couple o'terms, we'll keep the rest safe for yeh" he turned to Griphook, "Stormwing's vault now please, and can we go more slowly?"

"One speed only" Griphook snapped back.

They returned to the cart and went even deeper. It took a bit more stomach-wrenching time before they reached what looked like a mini cave with a giant dragon chained up in the centre. On the other end of the cave was an ornate vault door.

"Only a Stormwing can get past" Griphook instructed, pushing the key into Galexia's hand. 

Nervously, she got closer to the dragon, who's head shot up at the sight of her and a growl rumbled through it's chest. It pulled itself to its clawed feet, towering over her, and let out a ground shaking roar.

Galexia stood her ground, staring at the creature unblinkingly. She let herself shift fully, her clothes ripping as she stood tall, but still shorter than the creature. She roared back, wings flared and chest glowing with fire ready to be thrown. The dragon stumbled back and retreated to a small cavern to one side, eyeing the other three by the cart. 

Still in shift, Galexia moved towards the vault door, fumbling with the key with her claws, but finally opening the door. Inside was just as big as the cave, and it was overflowing with coins of all types, but mostly gold.

"Holy fuck. Guys! There's a SHIT TON of gold in here" Galexia shouted back to them. As she entered the vault to pull some into her own coin purse, she noticed a small wardrobe beside the door. Opening it, she found loads of various types of clothes of all sizes. She closed the vault door enough so the other couldn't see her as she shifted back and picked out a fitted black and dark blue striped shirt, a pair of jeans, and a very comfortable looking black sweater that was too big for her. It only took a few seconds for her to fit a mountain of gold into one of the extra coin purses they had in the wardrobe (which had an enchantment on it that gave it a whole room's worth of space and made it shine light blue to her eyes). 

Galexia sauntered back to the cart with a smug grin on her face.

"What was that? Can all wizarding people do that" Harry asked eagerly.

Galexia stopped smiling, "Oh yeah. No. Only my family could transform like that. Please don't tell anyone. If any dark witch or wizard found out, I may as well kiss my head goodbye"

"It's fine, it's fine. I won't tell anyone"

"Thank you" Galexia climbed back into the cart.

"Does this mean we're friends?" Harry asked before the cart set off.

"Sure" she shrugged.

"See Lexy? I told yeh yeh'd make friee-ahhh" Hagrid shouted in alarm as the cart suddenly sprang into life and went hurtling along the track.

The cart hurtled deeper into the vaults. It got colder and colder the deeper it got, Galexia's breath frosting as she panted in her best attempt to keep her insides inside. As they rattled over a deep, dark ravine, Harry leaned over to look down. Hagrid groaned as he pulled him back, but Galexia was more focused on herself.

They finally reached a much darker ledge with more simple looking vault doors with no keyholes.

"Stand back" Griphook instructed as he ran one long finger along the centre of the door. It melted away, revealing a small room with something wrapped in dirty brown paper lying on the floor. Galexia could see a slight red glow around it, a red enchantment, and it had a weird scent about it.

"If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through the door and trapped in there" Griphook explained.

"How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?" Harry asked.

"About once every ten years" Griphook smirked, which made Galexia's hackles rise a little.

Hagrid took one step inside the vault, picked up the strange red object, and tucked it inside one coat pocket. Galexia at first wanted to ask, but then realised she really didn't care.

"Come on, back in this infernal cart, and don't talk to me on the way back, it's best if I keep me mouth shut" Hagrid groaned a little.

After another, long, gut-wrenching cart ride back to the surface, they were finally on solid ground, up in the sunlight. With the weight of gold in her purse, Galexia looked about the shops with a growing sense of excitement. She got the basic concept of shops now, so she understood that with all this gold, she could get anything.

"Might as well get yer uniforms" Hagrid smiled, nodding at a shop with robes on display in the front, "Yeh wouldn' mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts carts and yer both perfectly capable"

"Yeah, I'll look out for this weirdo" Galexia smirked, clapping Harry on the shoulder like Hagrid had done earlier, and with just as much force.

They entered the shop and were greeted by a small, smiling witch, "Hogwarts, dears? Got the lot here- another young man being fitted up just now, in fact"

They were led to the back of the shop where a pale boy with a rather pointed face was stood atop a footstool as another witch pinned up long black robes. 

"Who's going first?" the first witch asked them.

"You go first," Galexia pushed Harry forward a little.

The first witch put Harry on the stool next to him and slipped a long robe over his head and started pinning it. Galexia stood right next to him.

"Hello" the pale boy greeted, "Hogwarts, too?"

"Both of us, yeah" Harry replied.

"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," the boy said in a rather bored voice, "then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow"

Galexia snorted, "You'll never get it past the professors"

"I'll find a way, I always do. Have  _you_ got your own broom?" the boy asked them.

"No" Harry said as Galexia shook her head.

"Play Quidditch at all?"

"No" Harry repeated.

"What in the Nine Worlds is Quidditch?" Galexia snapped back, really beginning to dislike the boy.

"You don't know what Quidditch is?" the boy shot back, "Are you Muggle-born or something?"

"No I just didn't have anyone to teach me" Galexia growled, turning her back to the boy.

"Well  _I_  play Quidditch. Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my House, and I must say, I agree. Know what House you'll be in yet?" the boy went on.

"No" Harry repeated again, clearly not wanting to enter the aggressive stand off between the two.

"Well, no one really knows until they get there, but I know I'll be in Slytherin. All our family have been- imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" the boy drawled.

"You won't be a Hufflepuff. Hufflepuffs are nice, but I don't think anyone would miss you anyway" Galexia snapped again.

The pale boy looked very annoyed, but caught sight of Hagrid, who was stood outside holding three strange looking snacks that looked like slightly melted spheres on light brown cones,  and smiling.

"I say, look at that man!" the boy was trying to vent his annoyance on someone, and since Galexia was clearly tougher than most, he was trying to find anyone.

The witch pinning Harry's robes finished up, "that's you done, dear. You're turn" Galexia stood up on the stool as Harry stood beside her.

"That's Hagrid" Harry replied to the boy, "he works at Hogwarts"

"Oh,"the boy replied, "I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?"

"He's the gamekeeper" Harry said.

"Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of savage- lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed"

Galexia turned to the boy with a growl, about to say something, but Harry clearly saw what might be going on so stepped in, "I think he's brilliant"

" _Do_ you?" the boy sneered, "Why is he with you? Where are your parents?"

"Both our parents were murdered" Galexia replied coldly.

"Oh, sorry" the boy didn't particularly sound sorry at all, "But they were  _our_ kind, weren't they?"

"Mine were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean" Harry said.

"As were mine, but I don't see why that matters"

"I just don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter. Imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families. What're your surnames, anyway?"

Before either could answer, the witch finished pinning Galexia's robes, "That's you done as well, my dear". Galexia and Harry payed for their robes and made for the door.

"Well, I'll see you two at Hogwarts, I suppose" said the boy.

Harry stayed quiet as he ate the snack, but Galexia was having a wild time eating it.

"What is this stuff Hagrid?" Galexia grinned as she licked away a drizzle of chocolate sauce with rainbow sprinkles.

"Ice cream. Vanilla flavoured" Hagrid replied with a smile, "An' yeh can eat the cone as well. I's a waffle cone"

As Galexia tried a bite of the cone, she noticed Harry's expression, "What's up kid?"

"Nothing" Harry replied quietly.

Galexia could tell he was lying, but didn't want to press the issue. She didn't like it when people did that to her. They stopped off to get parchment and quills, which Galexia found rather boring.

"Hagrid, what's Quidditch?" Harry asked out of the blue.

"Blimey, Harry, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know- not knowin' 'bout Quidditch!"

"Lay off Hagrid. I don't know either" Galexia spoke up.

Harry told Hagrid about the pale boy in the robe shop, with rather snide comments from Galexia, "- and he said people from Muggle families shouldn't even be allowed in-"

"Neither of yeh are from a Muggle family. If he'd known who Lexy was, he'd be shakin' in 'is boots, beggin' to be yer friend! An' if he'd known who Harry was- he's grown up knowin' yer name if 'is parents are wizardin' folk. Yeh saw what everyone in the Leaky Cauldron was like they they saw yeh. Anyway, what does he know 'bout it, some of th'best I ever saw was the only ones with magic in 'em in a long line o'Muggles- look at yer mum! Look what she had fer a sister!"

"So what  _is_ Quidditch?"

"It's our sport. Wizard sport, I mean. It's like- like soccer in the Muggle world- everyone follows Quidditch- played up in the air on broomsticks and there's four balls- sorta hard ter explain the rules"

"Ugh, flying with brooms. Rather use my wings" Galexia sniffed.

"And what are Slytherin and Hufflepuff?" Harry added.

"Two of the four School Houses" Galexia explained, "the other two are Gryffindor and Ravenclaw"

"Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o'duffers, but-"

"I bet I'm in Hufflepuff" Harry replied gloomily

"Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin," Hagrid said, "there's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn' in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one"

"Hey! Aunt Minerva said a lot of my family were Slytherin! My dad was apparently and he wasn't evil" Galexia protested.

"I'm not sayin' all Slytherins are evil, but pretty much every evil witch an' wizard was in Slytherin" 

"Hmph!" Galexia turned away.

"Vol- sorry- You-Know-Who was at Hogwarts?" Harry changed the subject.

"Years an' years ago" Hagrid replied.

They went to a book shop where the shelves were overflowing and stacked high. Some books were gigantic leather bound copies while others were tiny that could fit in the palm of her hand. With Hagrid and Harry's help, Galexia got every book she needed. As Galexia was looking at a smaller book called  _Magical Writing: Teaching Young Witches and Wizards How to Read and Write,_  Harry was perusing a book which had the word  _Curse_ in the title, so Galexia assumed it was a book about such.

"I was trying to find out how to curse Dudley" Harry protested as Galexia put two Galleons on the counter as she slipped the extra book into her purse.

"I'm not sayin' tha's not a good idea, but yer not ter use magic in th'Muggle world except in very special circumstances. An' anyway, yeh couldn' work any of them curses yet, yeh'll need a lot more study before yeh get ter tha' level"

They moved on to an equipment shop next door. Harry expressed interest in a gold cauldron, but Hagrid insisted on pewter, since it was on the list, which Galexia agreed with. They also got weighing scales and a telescope for each of them. They continued on to the Apothecary's shop, but the smell forced Galexia to retreat back out.

"Just get my stuff for me, I'll wait out here" Galexia stood outside, out of the way of any people walking around. It only took few minutes for Hagrid and Harry to reappear, "How much do I owe you?" Galexia rummaged around in her purse.

"Oh, no, it's fine" Harry replied pushing her ingredient into her hands, "I've never had money to share before, so it's fine"

"That's a friend thing, right?" Galexia put the ingredients into her coin purse as Harry nodded.

"Just wands left- oh yeah, an' I still haven' got Harry a birthday present"

"You don't have to-" Harry went red.

"I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at- an' I don' like cats, they make me sneeze. I'll get yer an owl. All the kids want owls, they're dead useful, carry yer mail an' everythin'"

As soon as Galexia entered the pet shop, every animal went wild, owls screeched, cats hissed and spat, dogs barked, and every creature that wasn't making a sound was thrashing around in their cages. Galexia glanced around for any creature that wasn't freaking out and there was only one. A large off-white cat with black splotches sat in a silver cage exactly at her eye height was watching her calmly. It's eyes were a beautiful bright blue and it's legs were very long, making it twice the height of a regular cat. Galexia hadn't ever felt love for a creature in her life, but there was a first time for everything.

Ignoring the noise, much to the shop owner's dismay, Galexia made right for the cat, gazing directly at it. She placed one hand on the cage, to which the cat sniffed and nuzzled it.

"This one" Galexia turned to the shop owner, "How much for this one?"

"That's a first gen Savannah Cat, it's pretty expensive"

"How much?" she persisted.

"Three thousand Galleons, be quick about your decision" she snapped back.

"Who carries that much money?" Galexia growled.

"You don't need to give me money, just write you're account name on the cheque and Gringotts will transfer it. Now are you getting it or not?" 

"Yes, yes" the shopkeeper pulled out a small book with a white enchantment about it, wrote down the amount, her name, then handed it to Galexia. She wrote down her name and handed it back.

"Good, now take the cat and go"

The cat's cage pulled itself out of it's position and dropped itself into Galexia's arms. She held it close as she exited the place as fast as possible, after which the animals relaxed. 

Harry appeared behind her holding a cage with a snowy owl nestled inside. He was stammering thanks to Hagrid as if he was Quirrell.

"Don' mention it," Hagrid smiled, "Don' expect you've had a lotta presents from them Dursleys. Just Ollivanders left now- only place fer wands, Ollivanders, and yeh gotta have the best wand"

"That's a really pretty cat Lexy" Harry looked in the cage, "how much did it cost?"

"Three thousand Galleons"

"Three thousand?!" Hagrid cried, "Fer a  _cat_?!"

"It was the only one that wasn't freaking out, it's really big, and it's very pretty" Galexia defended, "And I have plenty of money"

"What are you gonna name it?" Harry asked.

"I'm thinking Winteraven, because she has such an intelligent look in her eyes, like ravens, and she's black and white" Galexia looked down at the cat with a smile.

"Jus' don' bring it near me, I'll start sneezin'" Hagrid led the way to the wand shop.

It was a rather old, shabby looking place with peeling gold letters above the door. A single wand was on display, resting on a fading purple cushion. As they opened the door, a soft bell tinkled somewhere in the shop. It was gloriously quiet inside, and the only smell was that of dust and wood.

"I like it in here" Galexia muttered as Hagrid sat on a single chair by the door.

"Good afternoon" an old man with wide eyes appeared, making Harry and Hagrid jump. Galexia expected it, but Hagrid's accidental crushing of the chair made her jump.

"Hello" Harry replied awkwardly.

"You go first, Harry" Galexia sat on the floor the other side of the door to Hagrid turning her attention to her cat.

"Ah yes" the man said, "yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter. You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself buying her first wand. Ten and quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work"

The shop owner moved closer to Harry.

"Your father, on the other hand, favoured a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favoured it- it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course"

He moved closer to Harry again, staring at the lightning shaped scar over his eyes.

"And that's where..."

He touched the scar, which made Galexia feel slightly annoyed. If he had done that to her, she would've growled, but thankfully it was someone else.

"I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it" the shopkeeper said softly, "thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands... well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do..." he shook his head, then looked over at Hagrid.

"Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again... oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?"

"It was, sir, yes" Hagrid replied.

"Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?" the shopkeeper became stern.

"Er- yes. They did, yes" Hagrid looked rather nervous, "I've still got the pieces, though"

"But you don't  _use_ them?" the shopkeeper retorted sharply.

"Oh no sir!" lied Hagrid, which made Galexia notice his pink umbrella and link the scent of it to the wands around her.

"Hmmm" the shopkeeper gave Hagrid a piercing look before turning to Galexia, "And who are you? I don't think I recognise you" he asked her, drawing closer.

"Galexia Stormwing" she replied, standing up straight.

"A Stormwing? I thought they were all gone!" he looked very pleased at having heard her name.

"They are. My grandparents, parents, aunt, and little sister were murdered. I'm the last one" as Galexia said it, she really felt it for the first time. The life she could've had sped through her mind. Watching Quidditch with her family, arguing with her little sister over something stupid, spending their wealth together in this very street, celebrating excitedly when she got her letter.

Instead she had spent her early years in a horrible place and the most recent three years in the wilds and now had some serious mental health and developmental issues.

"Oh, I am truly sorry. I sold wands to three generations of your family, you will be the fourth," he shook his head, "Well now- Mr Potter is going first is he not? Let me see" he pulled out a silver tape measure, "Which is your wand arm?"

"Er- well, I'm right-handed" Harry replied nervously.

"Hold out your arm. That's it" the shop keeper measured him in all manner of strange ways, "every Ollivander wand," (so his name is Ollivander, Galexia noted), "has a core of a powerful magical substance. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons." Galexia shuddered a little, "No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard or witch's wand"

Ollivander flitted around shelves, pulling out various boxes.

"That will do" he snapped, making the tape fall to the floor, "right then, Mr Potter. Try this one. Beech-wood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave"

As Harry took it, Galexia silently hoped it wasn't the one he would get, but Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost instantly. He handed him another one.

"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try-" however he snatched it back before Harry even raised it.

"No, no- here. Ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out"

Harry attempted, but the pile of discarded wands was growing. Galexia thought Ollivander would be getting annoyed, but he looked happier and happier. He really seemed to like selling wands.

"Tricky customer? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere- I wonder, now- yes, why not- unusual combination- holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple"

Harry raised the wand over his head and brought it down. As he did so, red and gold sparks flew from the end, creating dancing lights which entranced Galexia. Hagrid's clapping brought Galexia back to earth and Ollivander cried, "Oh bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good! Well, well, well... how curious... how very curious..."

He replaced Harry's wand into its box and wrapped it in brown paper while muttering "curious.. curious"

"Sorry, but  _what's_ curious?" Harry asked.

Ollivander stared at him, "I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather- just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother- why its brother, gave you that scar.

"Yes, thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember... I think we must expect great things from you, Mr Potter. After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things- terrible, yes, but great"

Galexia noticed Harry shivered. He paid for the wand and stood beside Hagrid.

"Yer turn now" Hagrid smiled at Galexia.

"Which is your wand arm?" Ollivander picked up the silver tape.

Galexia lifted her right arm, to which Ollivander measured her in similarly strange ways as Harry. He picked out a number of boxes and piled them on the counter.

"Alder wood, dragon heartstring core, eleven inches. Swishy" Ollivander handed her a wand, "give it a wave"

Galexia raised it, but Ollivander snatched it away, "No no no! Try this one. Willow and unicorn hair. Ten inches. Flexible"

Galexia took it carefully and waved it. It made a pop, after which Ollivander snatched it back. He stopped and stroked his chin, "Hmmm. Tricky, tricky" he suddenly jolted like he'd been shocked, "I know just the wand"

He went back into the aisles and returned with a deep purple, very dusty box with decorative golden lines curling around it. It looked ancient.

"Dogwood with Phoenix feather. Nine and three quarter inches. Rigid" he pulled out a very gnarled, yet pristinely carved wand. Galexia took it and a feeling of warmth spread from her hand. As it did so, scales appeared over her arms, snaking up in similar patterns to the carving on the wand, and a transparent dragon that looked as if it was made of wispy, dark purple smoke emerged from the wand and curled around Galexia.

"Interesting" Ollivander took the wand from her clawed hand and placed it back in the box, "every Stormwing I have sold a wand to has taken to Blackthorn and Yew. Dogwood wands look for excitement in their witches. Your life up until now must have been... unusual, and very hard"

Galexia paid seven Galleons for the wand and Ollivander bowed them from the shop.

Galexia stayed silent as they made their back through the street and past the Leaky Cauldron. Ollivander's words had shaken her a little, she mulled them over. 

Thankfully the motion sickness she felt on the Underground ride back and the gawking people kept her far more occupied. After they reached Paddington station, Hagrid stopped them.

"Got time fer a bite to eat before Harry's train leaves" he motioned at a fast food place nearby.

Hagrid insisted on buying them food, but Galexia stood her ground on getting her own, as despite her small size, she had to eat enough food for someone twice her size. Harry just had a burger, but Galexia had three and a pack of fries

Galexia barely chewed any of it. It disappeared as quickly as it had arrived, but Harry ate far more slowly, watching what was going on around intently.

"You all righ' Harry? Yer very quiet" Hagrid asked.

"Everyone thinks I'm special," Harry replied after some silence, "all those people in the Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr Ollivander... but I don't know anything about magic at all. How can they expect great things? I'm famous and I can't even remember what I'm famous for. I don't know what happened when Vol- sorry- I mean, the night my parents died"

Hagrid smiled, "Don' you worry, Harry. Yeh'll learn fast enough. Everyone starts at the beginnin' at Hogwarts, yeh'll be jus' fine. Just be yerself. I know i's hard. Yeh've been singled out, an' tha's always hard. But yeh'll have a great time at Hogwarts- I did- still do, 'smatter of fact"

Galexia waited by the staircase, leaning against the wall with crossed arms, as Hagrid saw Harry onto the train. He handed him his ticket for the Hogwarts train before the doors closed and the train pulled off. Hagrid rejoined Galexia and followed her out onto the street.

"We're gettin' home by Floo Powder, I know jus' where the nearest fireplace is" Hagrid led the way through the crowded streets, Galexia sticking close by.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Galexia had finally returned to her room, sorted her school books on one shelf and let Winteraven explore, she say by the window with her copy of  _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_  open in her lap. She was slowly making progress through the book when a knock at the door made her look up. 

Flicking her right hand, the door opened, revealing Professor McGonagall with a rather shocked expression.

"You opened the door. Without a wand" she saw Galexia's new wand sat on the counter.

"Yes, can't every witch?" Galexia shrugged, "but meet my new friend, Winteraven" Galexia held out a hand to the cat, who rubbed her head against her hand. 

"How did your trip go?" McGonagall sat beside her, letting Winteraven sniff her cloak.

"Well I didn't shift in the middle of London and I have all my books. Plus this li'l guy" Galexia smiled at the cat, who laid on its side beside her.

"I told you it wouldn't be so bad. Are you still worried about when the school year starts?"

"Of course I am. But, I think I can handle it"


	4. A Very Stressful Train Ride

Galexia got up early in the morning. Today was the day. The first day of term. McGonagall had suggested that she catch the train to Platform Nine and Three Quarters and take it back to Hogwarts with the other students. Apparently it would give her an easier time making friends.

_"What are they called, the things people use to move about it- vehicles! I get sick in vehicles when they're moving" Galexia protested in her best attempt to get out of it._

_"Why didn't you say? I'll ask Madam Pomfrey to give you a remedy for it" McGonagall kept her word and got her a remedy that would ease motion sickness for a day. It had tasted of tree bark and smelt of moss._

Winteraven simply refused to stay behind in her room, so Galexia finally gave in and let her follow along. She had tucked her copy of  _A Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_  into her coin purse for the ride and made her way down to Hogsmeade Stations. It was still dark when the lights of the train appeared in the distance.

Galexia hopped on and made herself comfortable in one of the compartments, Winteraven curled up beside her. Galexia lay flat on one of the cushioned seats, her arms over her cat, and nodded off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The ear splitting sound of the train horn as it pulled into Platform Nine and Three Quarters made Galexia jolt out of another nightmare. Winteraven was sat across from her, preening herself.

"Guess we're here now" Galexia stretched. She looked out the window and saw a large train station. An arched roof towered above, with intricate architecture. There was already a few students waiting with their parents, stood beside trolleys holding trunks and animal cages.

She glanced at a nearby clock, which showed the time was 9 am. The train would start its way back to Hogwarts in two hours.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

No one entered her compartment. Everyone just sidled past, wanting to sit with their friends.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea" Galexia pulled Winteraven closer, finding comfort in the cat's heartbeat.

The compartment door slid open.

"Hello Lexy. Galexia was your actual name wasn't it?" Harry Potter stood by the door, his owl and trunk in tow.

"Hi Harry! How've you been?" Galexia smiled.

Harry started retelling stories of his awful uncle, aunt, and cousin as he tried pushing his trunk into an overhead storage space. He tried lifting it up but kept dropping it on his foot. Before Galexia could lend a hand a red-haired boy who was much older popped their heads round the door. 

"Want a hand?"

"Yes please" Harry panted.

"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!" another red-haired boy, the first boy's twin, appeared next to him. 

"Woah! That's a cool scar," Fred nodded at Galexia, "you a werewolf or something?"

"I wish it was that" Galexia shook her head, "then at least I wouldn't remember it. Got into a scrap with a bear, if you must know"

"You gotta tell us the whole story at some point" the other twin said.

With the help of the twins and Galexia, Harry's trunk got put away at last.

"Thanks" Harry wiped his forehead, shifting his hair to one side momentarily.

"What's that?" Fred pointed at the scar on his forehead.

"Blimey" said the other, "Are you-?"

"He  _is_ ," Fred answered for him, "Aren't you?"

"What?" Harry looked completely lost.

"Harry Potter" the twins said together.

"Oh, him. I mean, yes. I am"

The two boys gawked at him, but Galexia noticed Harry's embarrassment and got between them.

"Get lost, I've had enough of you two" she growled.

A voice came from the open door, "Fred? George? Are you there?"

"Coming, Mum!" they jumped off the train, casting a last look back.

"Blergh. They were rather annoying" Galexia sat back down, putting one arm around Winteraven.

"I thought they were nice enough"

"I don't particularly like people knowing about my past. Thankfully they were looking at the more recent bit" Galexia shook her head.

The train rocked a bit as it lurched into life, making Winteraven make a small mmrp in protest before relaxing back into Galexia's side.

"Was that bit alright?"

"It wasn't as bad as when I was a kid. It was rough, but what can you expect, living out in the wild?" Galexia shrugged.

"I suppose. Do you think you'll ever tell anyone about when you were a kid?"

"Maybe? I dunno. Don't think I'll ever have anyone close enough" Galexia kept her eyes on Winteraven, "and it's really personal"

"I'd think everyone's past is personal"

The  compartment door slid open and another, younger looking red-haired boy came in.

"Anyone sitting there?" he pointed at the seat beside Galexia, "everywhere else is full"

"Go for it. Just don't ask any personal questions"

"You met Fred and George then?" he smiled as he sat down, "they can be a bit in-your-face"

"We noticed" Galexia muttered.

The boy glanced at Harry, then looked out the window like he hadn't looked.

"Hey Ron" the twins came by, much to Galexia's annoyance, "Listen, we're going down the middle of the train- Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there"

"Right Ron mumbled.

"Did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother"

"We didn't catch your name" the other twin added, looking at Galexia.

"Galexia Stormwing" she found their rather shocked looking faces vaguely funny.

"I thought- I thought the Stormwing family had been murdered by one of You-Know-Who's followers. Everyone was shocked since they were ancient and powerful" Ron spoke up.

"They were. Idiot hadn't caught on that a three month old baby is very different to a three year old child. My sister died in my place" Galexia shrugged.

"Can you turn into a dragon then?" one of the twins asked.

"No. No, that died with them" Galexia eyed Harry, making sure he kept his mouth shut about it. He just kept his eyes out the window. 

"So where you've been living then?" one of the twins asked.

"I don't particularly want to talk about it" Galexia felt for Winteraven's heartbeat for it, "and if that's the only thing your here for then you can get lost"

"Alright, alright. See you later then" the twins rushed off.

"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron suddenly asked, to which Harry nodded, "Oh- well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes. And have you really got- you know..." he pointed at Harry's forehead.

Harry pulled back his hair, showing off the lightning scar. Ron stared, "so that's where You-Know-Who-?"

"Yes, but I can't remember it" Harry stated.

"Nothing?" Ron persisted.

"Well- I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else"

"Wow" Ron looked very impressed, then realised what he was doing, "er, do you remember anything?" he looked at Galexia, "From when your family was- you know-"

"I didn't for a long time. Then it all hit me one day like a wall"

"So what do you remember?" Harry was interested now.

"I remember... Mother hiding me under the bed. And-" Galexia paused, trying to remember it, "And, lots of noise" she shook her head, "that's about it"

"Do you remember much about your parents?" Harry asked.

"Just bits and pieces" Galexia shrugged, "Can we change the subject?"

"Sure. Hey Ron, are all your family wizards?" Harry asked, turning to Ron.

"Er- yes, I think so" Ron nodded, "I think Mum's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him"

"So you must know loads of magic already" Harry replied glumly.

"I heard you went to live with Muggles. What are they like?" 

"Horrible- well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though."

"Most humans are, not just Muggles" Galexia added, "it's rather difficult to find ones that aren't"

"I still wish I had three wizard brothers" Harry muttered.

"Five" Ron corrected rather gloomily, "I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left- Bill was head boy and Charlie was Captain of the Quidditch team. Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat" Ron seemed like he'd been holding it in for a while. He reached into his pocket and brought out a sleeping, fat, grey rat.

"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, hardly ever wakes up" Ron muttered.

"He has a weird scent" Galexia leaned forward, making Ron give her a quizzical look, "he smells like- nevermind. It's probably just a member of your family I haven't met or something"

Ron's quizzical look didn't drop.

"I have heightened senses. Like, I can see enchantments and stuff" Galexia shrugged, "that's what I got instead of the Shift"

"Woah! That's cool! What do enchantments look like?" Ron seemed very interested.

"Like, sort of like a coloured glow. I know the colour means something, I just don't know yet. Where'd you get Scabbers from?"

"Well Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff- I mean, I got Scabbers instead" Ron went a bit pink and looked back out the window. 

"There ain't nothing wrong with having no money" Galexia retorted, "I had nothing my entire life"

"Me too. I never had proper birthday present before a week ago" Harry added. Ron seemed to cheer up, "and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard, or about my parents or Voldemort-"

Ron gasped, much to Harry's confusion.

"You said You-Know-Who's name! I'd have thought you, of all people-"

"I'm not trying to be  _brave_ or anything, saying the name. I just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to learn" Harry shook his head, "I bet I'll be the worst in the class"

"You won't be" Ron assured, "There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough"

"Yeah Harry. I literally had to learn how to read and write at an eleven year old level from nothing in the last three weeks" Galexia added, "I will most certainly will be the worst"

The compartment fell silent as the three watched the livestock filled fields rush by.

Around lunch time, a smiling woman pushing a cart opened the compartment door and popped her head in, "anything off the cart, dears?"

"What you got?" Galexia looked over the selection. Sweets Galexia had never seen before and of every colour decorated the cart, hiding the cart from view. The sugary scent was overwhelming, but very welcomed.

"Oh, I have Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Bean, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, all sorts" the smiling witch said kindly.

Galexia pulled out a couple Galleons, "I'll take three of everything" she glanced back at the two boys, "want some?"

Ron and Harry stared at her, Ron holding a thing of sandwiches in one hand.

Galexia scattered the mountain of sweets on the seats and helped herself to a Licorice Wand, "Those sandwiches look rather boring compared to all this, have at it" she smiled, "you two Harry"

The sandwiches were forgotten in the corner as the kids made their way through the sweets.

"What are these?" Harry held up a pentagonal shaped, purple and gold coloured box, "they're not  _really_ frogs, are they?"

"No, but see what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa"

"Eh?" Galexia asked through a bean that tasted of moss.

"Oh, right, you wouldn't know- Chocolate Frogs have cards inside them, you know, to collect- famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy" Ron explained.

Harry opened the box and pulled out the card, "So  _this_ is Dumbledore!"

"Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" Ron joked, "Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa"

Galexia tossed him a frog, "Either of you ever met Dumbledore?" they shook their heads, "I have. He's a bit strange, even by my standards, but he's nice enough. His logic is a bit... bleh, but I guess he's alright"

Harry turned over the card.

"Read it out then, I ain't sitting here for half an hour trying to read that" Galexia said.

"Albus Dumbledore, currently headmaster of Hogwarts" Harry started, "Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and ten pin bowling"

"Dragon's blood" Galexia shivered.

Harry turned the card back over, "He's gone!"

"Well you can't expect him to hang around all day. He'll be back" Ron stated, "No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her... do you want it? You can start collecting" Ron handed it to Galexia, whose own card was of Godric Gryffindor.

"You know, in the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos" Harry commented.

"Do they? What, they don't move at all?" Ron looked at him in disbelief, "weird"

Galexia threw Harry a bag of Every Flavour Beans, "these are something else"

"You want to be careful with those" Ron warned, "When they say every flavour, they mean every flavour. You get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a booger-flavoured one once"

He picked up a green one and carefully bit it, "Bleh- see? Sprouts"

Galexia had a rather enjoyable time eating them. She got strawberry, another moss, parchment, deer (which she recognised quickest of the lot), and grass.

Galexia stared out the window as forests and rivers and wild hills flashed by, reminding her of her once peaceful mountain home. A knock on the compartment door brought her back to the present as a pudgy looking boy in tears poked in.

"Sorry, but have you see a toad at all?" the three kids shook their heads, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"

"He'll turn up" assured Harry.

"Yes. Well, if you see him..." the boy left looking more miserable than ever.

"Don't know why he's so bothered" Ron shook his head again, "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk"

As he glanced at the rat, Galexia wondered why Winteraven hadn't pounced on him yet. Instead the cat was lying on one side looking sagely comfortable.

"He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference. I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look-" Ron rummaged around for his wand, which was very old looking and had something silver poking out the end.

"Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway-" Ron muttered in embarrassment. He raised his wand and cleared his throat, but before he could utter a single word, the compartment door slid open again. The boy from earlier had returned with a girl already dressed in her Hogwarts robes. She had lots of brown hair that stuck out like a lion's mane, brown eyes, and rather large front teeth. 

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one" she had a rather bossy voice that made Galexia's skin crawl.

"We've already told him we haven't seen it" Ron snapped.

"Oh are you doing magic? Let's see it then" she looked at Ron's raised wand and sat down. Ron looked increasingly annoyed.

"Er- all right" Ron cleared his throat, " _Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow; Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow_ " He waved his wand, but nothing happened.

"Are you sure that's a real spell? Well it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard- I've learned all our course books by hearts, of course, I just hope it will be enough- I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?" the girl rabbited on, much to the stunned looks of the two boys and the annoyed look on the other.

"I'm Ron Weasley" Ron muttered.

"Galexia Stormwing"

"I thought the Stormwing line was eradicated" Hermione replied with a shocked look, "at least in all the books where their mentioned it says so"

"My family's in books?" Galexia cocked her head to one side.

"Of course. If a book mentions Transfiguration or Animagi, it'll usually have a section on the Stormwing line. So have you got the Shift? Where have you been living all this time?"

Hermione's weirdly specific terminology startled Galexia, making her stutter out a "N-no, I have heightened senses but no Shift. And I was living in the wilds until Au-Professor McGonagall tracked me down" Galexia skirted around her early childhood.

"That must've been hard, I won't press" Hermione seemed to read Galexia's expression and looked at Harry, "what's your name then?"

"Harry Potter"

"Are you really? I know all about you, of course- I got a few extra books for background reading and you're in  _Modern Magical History_  and  _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_  and  _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_ "

"Am I?" Harry didn't look so great.

"Goodness, didn't you know? I'd have found out everything I could if it was me. Do either of you know what House you'll be in? I've been asking around and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad... Anyway we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You three had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon" Hermione went on before standing and dragging the boy with her.

"Whatever House I'm in, I hope she's not in it" groaned Ron as he threw his wand away.

"She talked too much. I think that's more words than I ever heard in my entire life" Galexia joked with a smirk.

"Stupid spell- George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud"

"What House are your brothers in?" Harry asked.

"Gryffindor" Ron replied gloomily, "Mum and Dad were in it too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin"

"That's the House Vol- I mean, You-Know-Who was in?"

"Yeah" Ron sank back into his seat.

"Hey! Just because one's a Slytherin doesn't mean they're evil! My father was one and he was murdered by a dark wizard" Galexia growled.

Ron fell silent, "Sorry"

"You know" Harry dispersed the tension, "I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter" Harry smiled, "So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?"

"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons," bet he gets quite a few injuries, Galexia commented internally, "and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts. Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles- someone tried to rob a high security vault"

"Did they get caught?" Galexia took another bite of a pasty.

"No, that's why it's such big news. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark Wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it"

"Creepy" Galexia stroked Winteraven's head to calm herself.

"What's your Quidditch team?" Ron changed the subject.

"Er- I don't know any" Harry said.

"Neither do I, but I'm not much one for sport"

"What! Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world-" Ron excitedly began trying to explain the game, but Galexia zoned out completely and went back out to staring out the window. As Ron was setting off into another aspect of it, he was interrupted by the compartment door sliding open to reveal the pale boy from the robe shop and two of his companions. He was looking at Galexia and Harry with much more interest.

"Is it true? They're saying all down the train that a living Stormwing and the famous Harry Potter are in this compartment. So it's you two, is it?" the boy sneered.

"Yes" said Harry and Galexia at the same time. Harry was eyeing the boy's companions, but Galexia was glaring at the boy, readying herself for a scrap.

"Oh, this is Crabbe and Goyle" the boy said carelessly, "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy"

Ron hid a laugh under a cough, which made Draco look at him.

"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford" Draco sneered before turning back to Harry and Galexia, "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter, Stormwing. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there" 

Draco held out his hand.

Galexia laughed out loud as Harry replied, "I think we can tell who the wrong sort are for ourselves, thanks"

A pink tinge appeared around Draco's cheeks.

"I'd be careful if I were you" he growled slowly, "unless you two are a bit politer, you'll both go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you"

The three kids stood up.

"Say that again" Ron said, his face red.

"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered.

Galexia got right into his face, which was rather difficult given her small size, but she somehow managed to do it, "Trust me. You don't want to fight me" she snarled, "get out before I cripple you" she was doing everything to keep a shift from bursting out and revealing her secret to another student.

"But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some"

Goyle reached for the Chocolate Frogs, but before anyone could stop him, Winteraven leapt out and raked her claws down his arm. Goyle yelled. Winteraven leapt into Galexia's arms, hissing at the boys.

"GET OUT!" Galexia roared, shocking them into shoving their way back out into the hall and disappearing. A second later, Hermione Granger came by.

"What has been going on?" she asked, looking down at the scattered sweets and Galexia gently stroking and whispering to Winteraven.

"You've met Malfoy before then?" Ron said.

Galexia let Harry explain the robe store meeting they'd had.

"I've heard of his family. They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side" he explained darkly before turning to Hermione, "can we help you with something?"

"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on. I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"

"Lexy's cat has been fighting! Not us" Ron scowled back, "you you mind leaving while we change?"

"All right- I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," Hermione sniffed, "and you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"

Ron glared after her as she left but Harry just stared out the window. It was pretty dark already as the train hurtled past mountains and forests now.

"I'll wait outside while you change" Galexia held onto Winteraven as she slid out into the corridor. She leant against the wall as they pulled the blind down to cover the little window. They only took a couple minutes, in which Galexia entertained herself by whispering to Winteraven.

When the compartment door opened, Galexia noticed Ron's robes were a bit too short, but she didn't comment as they switched so she could change. It took her a bit longer to pull her robes on, mostly from very little practice, but eventually she allowed the two guys to reenter.

"We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minute's time" a voice echoed around the train, "please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately"

Galexia noticed the boys looking rather queasy, although she didn't feel much better. She'd seen the size of the Great Hall and McGonagall had told her that during feasts it could be absolutely full of people, which made her very uneasy. The group hid the sweets in their pockets and joined the crowd outside.

Winteraven clung tightly to Galexia's shoulders where she was stood, curled around her head, as Galexia was pushed around onto the station platform by the crowd. It was very dark, but Galexia could see perfectly fine. From a bit farther down, she noticed Hagrid towering over everyone with a lantern shouting, "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All righ' there, Lexy? Harry?" Hagrid smiled as he caught sight of them.

"C'mon, follow me- any more firs' years? Mind yer step now! Firs' years follow me!"

Galexia stayed close to Hagrid, away from the other students, who were all stumbling around in the dark. No one spoke, but that made the journey all the worse.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o'Hogwarts in a sec" Hagrid shouted, "jus' round this bend 'ere"

The loud "Oooh!" made Galexia beam with pride. This was her home, they were only staying part of the year, but this would be her only home for seven years.

The path they were following opened to the lake, Hogwarts standing proud opposite them. The lights inside were lit, making it look like the sky above and given a shattered piece of itself to the land. Bobbing on the water below were many little wooden boats.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid instructed. Harry, Ron, Galexia, and Hermione all crowded together into one.

"Everyone in?" Hagrid shouted from his personal boat, "right then- FORWARD!"

The little boats lurched forward before settling into a serene pace. They glided towards the castle, but Galexia twitched at the slow speed. If she was allowed to fly, she'd be there by now, but instead it was taking a while.

"Heads down!" Hagrid shouted as they finally reached the cliff. The boats sailed them through a curtain of ivy that hid the water entrance to the castle, which Galexia had found on her second day. The entrance led to a long, dark tunnel until they hit an underground cave with a dock for the boats. They stumbled out the boats and onto the slick rocks and loose pebbles.

"Oi! You there! Is tha' yer toad?" Hagrid  pointed to one of the boats.

"Trevor!" the Neville boy cried, rushing over and picking up the slimy thing. 

They followed after Hagrid through the dimly lit passageway until they hit the large oak front door after climbing carved, stone steps

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?" Hagrid smiled before knocking on the door tree times with one huge fist.


	5. First Night as a Hogwarts Student

Professor McGonagall opened the door, much to the relief of Galexia.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall" Hagrid said.

"Thank you Hagrid. I will take them from here" McGonagall pulled the door open wider. Inside was the entrance hall, which was gigantic, cold, and dark. A few flaming torches dotted the place so one could make their way about, but other than that it was quite hard to see. Galexia had more than enough light to see just fine, but quite a few of the other kids stumbled up the marble staircase.

The sound of hundreds of students in the Great Hall made Galexia uneasy, but McGonagall led them to a large side room. Galexia made sure she was around the front, by the door and away from the crowded and nervous first years.

"Welcome to Hogwarts" McGonagall said, "the start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because while you are here, your House will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your House, sleep in your House dormitory, and spend free time in your House common room.

"The four Houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each House has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your House points, while any rule-breaking will lose House points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points is awarded the House cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever House becomes yours

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting"

Her eyes swept over the entire group, lingering on Galexia for a second. 

"I shall return when we are ready for you" she said suddenly, "please wait quietly" and she left the room. Galexia quickly whispered to Winteraven, "Go back to my room, I left some snacks out for you" and released her. Winteraven did just that, slipping out through the closing door and disappearing into the darkness.

"How exactly do they sort us into Houses?" Harry muttered to Ron.

"Some sort of test I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking" Ron replied.

"Don't worry, it's not a test of skill, more like a personality test" Galexia whispered.

The entire room was silent spare Hermione Granger, who was muttering spells under her breath. Harry was staring at the door, and Ron was looking all around. Galexia just shook her head and leant against a wall.

Before Galexia realised what was going on, her hackles were raised and she felt extremely stressed. Quite a few people at the back screamed when about twenty ghosts passed through the wall. A small, chubby monk was saying, "forgive and forget, I say we ought to give him a second chance-"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost- I say! What are you all doing here?" a ghost wearing a ruff, the same one that had tried to talk to Galexia when she first got there hovered above the group. Galexia shrank into one corner.

"New students!" the Friar smiled, "About to be Sorted, I suppose? Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old House, you know"

"Move along now" McGonagall's sharp voice rang from the doorway, "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start"

As the ghosts floated away, Galexia stayed close to McGonagall's side.

"Now form a line and follow me" McGonagall instructed. Galexia made sure to get in behind a few other people. Directly in front of her was Hermione, who was still looking rather freaked out, and she didn't recognise the boy behind her.

"Hey, calm down" Galexia whispered to Hermione as they all followed McGonagall to the Great Hall, "you don't need to know anything to get sorted"

"How would you know?" she snapped back, clearly wanting to get back to muttering to herself.

"I asked Au- Professor McGonagall" Galexia quickly corrected herself, "and she said not to worry"

They finally reached the giant double doors that led to the Great Hall.

The Great Hall was huge. Four long tables were full of students, each table made up with golden plates and goblets. Hovering over everything were more candles than Galexia could even hope to count. Far above, the walls seemed to fade away into the night sky, which made Galexia desperately want to fly under the stars. Suppressing the urge, she looked over to the head table where the teachers all sat. As she looked ahead, she heard Hermione mutter, "It's bewitched, the ceiling, to look like the sky outside. I read about it in  _Hogwarts; A History_ "

McGonagall led them to the front of the hall, to the space between the head table and the students' tables. McGonagall placed a small stool in front of the first years, on top of which sat an old, very dirty looking wizard's hat. There was a dark green glow about the hat.

After a second, a rip opened like a mouth and it began to sing;

 _"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_  
_But don't judge on what you see,_  
_I'll eat myself if you can find_  
_A smarter hat than me._

 _You can keep your bowlers black,_  
_Your top hats sleek and tall,_  
_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_  
_And I can cap them all._  
_There's nothing hidden in your head_

 _The Sorting Hat can't see,_  
_So try me on and I will tell you_  
_Where you ought to be._

 _You might belong in Gryffindor,_  
_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

 _Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_  
_Set Gryffindors apart;_  
_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

 _Where they are just and loyal,_  
_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_  
_And unafraid of toil;_  
_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_  
_If you've a ready mind,_

 _Where those of wit and learning,_  
_Will always find their kind;_  
_Or perhaps in Slytherin_  
_You'll make your real friends,_  
_Those cunning folk use any means_  
_To achieve their ends._  
_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_  
_And don't get in a flap!_  
_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_  
_For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

Everyone applauded at its song as it bowed to each table, becoming still again.

McGonagall stepped forward while unrolling a rather large piece of parchment, "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted" she explained, "Abbott, Hannah!"

A girl with an increasingly red face and blonde hair came forward and sat down. McGonagall placed the hat on her head, which fell down over her eyes. After a few seconds, the hat shouted "HUFFLEPUFF!"

The far right table cheered as the girl went to sit down.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat shouted.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!" the second to left table cheered and a few students shook his hand as he sat down.

The next went to Ravenclaw, the next, Gryffindor, and the next was the first Slytherin. For some people, the hat shouted the House immediately, but for others, it took a little longer.

"Granger, Hermione!" Hermione rushed over and pulled it on quickly, energy bursting from her.

"GRYFFINDOR!" Ron groaned as she went to sit down. 

More people went through before another name Galexia recognised, "Longbottom, Neville!"

The poor boy fell over on his way and the hat took quite a while before shouting "GRYFFINDOR!" Neville ran to the table still wearing it and had to return with laughter encompassing him.

Draco Malfoy walked over when his name was called, but he barely sat down before the hat shouted "SLYTHERIN!" and went to join Crabbe and Goyle.

It was a little while before they reached "Potter, Harry!" and to no one's surprise, everyone started whispering. Galexia hoped that nothing like that would happen when her name was called.

It took a little while before the hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" and the Gryffindor table burst with cheers. Galexia could even hear the Weasley twins yelling "We got Potter! We got Potter!"

After the noise died down, McGonagall continued.

"Stormwing, Galexia!"

The entire place burst into whispers again.

"I thought they were all dead?"

"Is that one of  _the_ Stormwings?"

"Can she change into a dragon like the rest?"

Galexia sat down on the school and faced the darkness of the hat. A little voice whispered in her ear.

"Ah! Such a complex mind" it said, "You've certainly been through a lot of terrible things. I see so many fears. But that bravery is Gryffindor worthy. Although that intelligence and wit is something more at home in Ravenclaw. That cunning is of Slytherin, and I can see great loyalty in here, more befitting a Hufflepuff. Ah, I do so greatly love this little challenge!"

Galexia couldn't help but think back to her home in the mountains. It had been a paradise to her before the Ministry of Magic itself had put a price on the creature that lived there due to it attacking any human, Muggle or magic, who ventured there, and plenty of Muggles catching sight of it. Soon enough, traps covered the place and her paradise was spoiled.

"You seem to be so conflicted, missing the mountains"

Galexia mentally recoiled, hating that this thing could just see into her past and mind like that.

"Your fears are so intrusive, especially of this Eraric Bessette, yet you do not run from them. I admire your bravery and reluctance to stand down from a challenge. Yes, I think I know the House for you"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table exploded into cheering again. McGonagall was smiling as she took the hat off and stood up. While she made her way over to the table, she heard some Gryffindors shouting, "We got Stormwing as well!" She sat next to Harry.

Soon enough, it was finally Ron's turn. He looked completely ill as he sat down, but it was only a second before the hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" Ron huffed in relief as he collapsed next to Galexia.

There was only one more student before McGonagall rolled up the parchment and took away the Sorting Hat.

Dumbledore, who was seated at the head of the professor's table, stood up and opened his arms wide with a warm, welcoming expression.

"Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are; Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" he sat back down as everyone clapped.

"Is he- a bit mad?" Harry asked Percy, who was sat opposite.

"Mad? He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes" the banquet suddenly appeared before then, "Potatoes, Harry?"

Harry looked rather taken aback by the feast, but it was nothing compared to Galexia's expression. She stared at the amount of food in bewilderment, greed, and joy. Every kind of meat was there, along with the many forms a potato could take, as well as a selection of vegetables and a small sweet looking thing that was black and white.

Galexia mostly piled her plate with meat and gravy before suddenly choking at the ghost in the ruff appearing beside them.

"That does look good" he said a bit sadly.

"Can't you-" Harry asked.

"I haven't eaten for nearly five hundred years. I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself. Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower"

"I know who you are! My brothers told me about you- You're Nearly Headless Nick!" Ron grinned.

"I would  _prefer_ you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-" the ghost began before another boy cut in.

" _Nearly_ Headless? How can you be nearly headless?" asked a boy, Seamus, Galexia remembered from earlier.

"Like this" Sir Nicholas huffed as he yanked at his left ear, making his entire head swing of his neck to his shoulders like a door. He grinned at everyone's stunned look as he flipped it back on.

"Please don't tell me you'll be wandering into my room" Galexia sighed.

"Ah, not a fan of ghosts?" he chuckled.

"Although I don't have the Shift," Galexia made sure to press, "I do have heightened senses and very strong instincts. None of which are 'fans of ghosts'"

"Is that why you avoided us all summer? I assumed you just weren't a people person"

"You've been here all summer?" Both Ron and Percy asked.

"I live here all the time. Nowhere else to go, this is the safest place for me, and Aunt- er- Professor McGonagall is my legal guardian"

"Oh, yes, I remember overhearing somewhere that she was the godmother to a Stormwing" Percy nodded.

"My mother. She apparently was looking into the past one afternoon and realised the body count in the news report didn't match the number she knew to be alive, since the existence of my sister was not well known. So she tracked me down and found me, took me in"

 "So- new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the House Championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable- he's the Slytherin ghost" 

Everyone looked over to the Slytherin table where a horrific looking ghost that made Galexia far more unsettled sat, although by everyone's expression it was a shared sentiment. The Bloody Baron had a blank, gaunt face and silver blood stained robes.

"How did he get covered in blood?" asked Seamus.

"I've never asked" Nick replied carefully.

After everyone had eaten their fill, the scraps faded, much to the pain of Galexia, since she hated seeing food go to waste. The appearance of more food with heavy sugary scents perked her right back up. More of what Galexia had had at Diagon Alley, that ice cream, was littered around in blocks in all flavours. Galexia tried a bit of everything as the conversation on her section of the table turned to family.

"I'm half-and-half. Me dad's a Muggle. Mum didn't him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him" Seamus said, making everyone laugh.

"What about you, Neville?" Ron asked.

"Well, my gran brought me and she's a witch but the family thought I was all-Muggle for ages. My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off guard and force some magic it out of me- he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned- but nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the angles when my Great Aunt Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here- they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad"

Galexia let her attention wander to the conversation Percy and Hermione were having, which was only about the lessons. She instantly snapped away from the conversation, as she was feeling rather relaxed now, despite being surrounded in a very loud hall, and didn't want to freak herself out with the thought of lessons. 

"Ouch!" Harry's cry of pain made Galexia jump, scales appearing around her fingertips, which she quickly shoved away.

"What?" Galexia asked, a bit too snappy before she could stop herself.

"N-Nothing" Harry muttered, "Hey Percy, who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrel?"

"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to- everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape"

"So why doesn't Snape just take the job?" Galexia asked.

Percy looked a bit confused, "I think Dumbledore just doesn't think Snape is a good fit. I'm not sure"

Galexia shrugged before returning to her ice cream, storing the rift between the two professors away in case it was ever needed later.

As the dessert scraps disappeared, Dumbledore stood from his chair, ushering the entire hall to silence.

"Ahem- just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start of term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils, even if you truly believe you have the power to handle it," his eyes lingered on Galexia for a second before glancing at the Weasley twins, "And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well. I have also been asked by Mr Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their House teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death"

A few people laughed, but Galexia had to hold back a chuckle. Rules, rules, rules, humans are so strange, she thought.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore grinned as he flicked his wand. A long golden ribbon curled into the air and twisted itself into words, "Everyone pick their favourite tune, and off we go!"

Galexia went a little red as she mumbled the words out slowly and quietly to one of the few tunes she knew, carnival-esque music. Thankfully she was completely drowned out by the rest of the school.

_"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_   
_Teach us something please,_   
_Whether we be old and bald_   
_Or young with scabby knees._   
_Our heads could do with filling_   
_With some interesting stuff,_   
_For now they're bare and full of air,_   
_Dead flies and bits of fluff._   
_So teach us things worth knowing,_   
_Bring back what we've forgot,_   
_Just do your best, we'll do the rest,_   
_And learn until our brains all rot"_

Everyone finished at different times of course, Galexia going to be one of the last before cutting herself off so she wouldn't be heard. Dumbledore conducted with his wand and clapped the loudest after everyone had fallen silent.

"Ah, music! A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime! Off you trot" Dumbledore smiled, wiping a tear from his eye.

As Galexia followed Percy, along with the other first years, through the chilly halls, she noticed Hermione had begun following alongside her. Despite her chatty nature, Galexia had a growing fondness of her, mostly from her unwillingness to press her on her past like everyone else.

"Are you looking forward to any subjects?" Hermione asked in a rather tired tone.

"Not particularly, but Defense Against the Dark Arts would be helpful" Galexia scratched the scar on her neck, "I suppose you are looking forward to all of them"

Hermione smiled and nodded eagerly, "I want to learn everything"

They stopped talking as Hermione stared around at the living paintings.

"Yes, they get rather annoying after some time" Galexia shook her head, "They love making little comments on just about anything"

The group continued along until the came to a halt by a floating bundle of walking sticks, which Galexia could tell was a ghost from her insanely overreacting instincts. Percy took a step forward and they suddenly threw themselves at him, making Galexia jump and take a step behind Hermione which she didn't notice.

"Peeves, a poltergeist" Percy mentioned to the first years, "Peeves! Show yourself!" he shouted. 

He was met with the ghost making the noise of a deflating balloon.

"Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?" Percy retorted.

With a pop, Peeves appeared. He was a little man with piercing dark eyes and a wide mouth. Currently, he was floating cross legged in the air holding onto the walking sticks. 

"Oooooh! Ickle Firsties! What fun!" he cackled as he swooped at them before catching sight of Galexia, "Ooooh! And the wittle tortured dwagon firstie!" Peeves targeted her, but Percy got between them.

"Go away Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this. I mean it!" he barked. Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, making the walking sticks drop on Neville's head. As he raced away, coats of armour rattled.

"You want to watch out for Peeves. The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects!" he explained as they continued, "Here we are"

The end of the corridor sat a painting of a large woman in a pink silk dress, "Password?"

"Caput Draconis" Percy replied easily. The portrait swung open, revealing a hole in the wall. With a scramble and a squeeze through, they found themselves in the Gryffindor common room. The room was large and round, with a roaring fireplace that warmed the whole place, much to Galexia's delight, and comfortable looking armchairs dotted around the place. Red was the predominant colour, although gold lined the place to split the red up better.

Percy showed the girls and boys dormitory (with a little whisper to Galexia instructing her that whenever she opened the girl's dormitory door, it would lead to her room in the tower at the opposite end of the school).

Everyone went off to bed with little nods as good night. True to Percy's word, when she opened the door, it led to her room, where she picked up Winteraven and pushed her up to the bed. Galexia joined her and curled up under the blanket. Despite her usual insomnia, the full stomach and warmth of the blanket and the cat beside her sent her to sleep much quicker than usual.


	6. First Classes Ever

It hadn't taken Galexia nearly as much time as she thought for her to get more used to crowds. Although it didn't greatly surprise her as she had spent much of her youth amongst them and had only been in isolation for the most recent three years of her life.

Her favourite class she found was Astrology. Every Wednesday at midnight, first year Gryffindors would study the night sky with maps and learn the stars and planets and how they moved. This all fascinated Galexia, which had become a joke amongst the entire class, and a little to herself. She had found out that every Stormwing's draconic form was different, and now she knew it was related to their interests. Her mother apparently was deep blue and the underside of her wings looked like rippling waves when she flew, and she worked as a marine biologist for magical creatures. Her aunt's form had initially been confusing, as she was a mix of light brown and grey and the undersides of her wings, which were rather battered looking from birth, were very plain. It had been found when she had attended Hogwarts, that she had a love for history.

Galexia absolutely  _loathed_ her history class. A boring old ghost droned on and on as everyone scribbled notes or read sections in their books, which Galexia would try her best at but mostly just caught up on later. While most students could just doze off, Galexia was trapped into an energetic inattentiveness, as the ghost sent her senses into major overload and she simply couldn't keep her mind on what he was saying. Adding to her annoyance, the teacher, Professor Binns kept calling her by her aunt's name and kept expecting her to know every answer. 

"I keep telling you,  _Professor_ , Gaia was my  _aunt_ " Galexia growled for the third time that lesson, "I am Galexia. Gaia is deader than you"

"Oh yes, my mistake" Professor Binns droned back, but he would continue to get her name wrong.

Although Galexia wasn't much a fan of Herbology, considering she had discovered much of what they would learn in the first two years during her time in the mountains, so she found most of it boring, she rather liked the round little Professor Sprout, who was very friendly and very much liked that Galexia almost always had an answer.

The Charms lessons were interesting enough. A tiny wizard called Professor Flitwick taught them. Galexia found herself to be rather good at spells, although most of her power was out of her control, which required much outside practice and aid from McGonagall to tame it. Despite this, Professor Flitwick was very impressed with Galexia and assured her that with more practice, she could be a very powerful witch one day.

Galexia had been much looking forward to Professor McGonagall's lessons, Transfiguration. She was strict and clever, which honestly made Galexia respect her even more. Strength could only go so far in the wilds, and her own cleverness had saved her scales more than once, so she deeply respected the cleverness of others (given they were worthy of respect, of course).

"Transfiguration" McGonagall began, "is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned" she then changed her desk into a pig and back. Everyone looked impressed, but Galexia was very nervous. She knew she was powerful, but she wasn't great at channeling it into complex spells. Simple stuff, like floating and opening doors was easy, but transfiguration was far more difficult.

After taking lots of complex notes, which made Galexia's head spin, they were all given a match stick to turn into a needle. By the end, only Hermione's was anything like a needle. Although everyone else had done  _something_  to their matches, except for Galexia, who had made no difference to hers, much to her frustration.

Something everyone else had been very much looking forward to, but Galexia had been nervous about, was Defense Against the Dark Arts. Galexia thanked the gods that the lessons were just so full of  _nothing_ and Professor Quirrel was a bumbling idiot, although there was still something not quite right about him. The entire classroom reeked of garlic and plenty of it hung around his turban, but she could smell something else under the stench. Unfortunately, she had never scented anything like it before, so she had no clue what it was, and she was the only one with a strong enough sense of smell to detect it. She had heard the Weasley twins insisting that the turban was also full of garlic, and at Galexia's detection of something else, perhaps other herbs and potions to protect Quirrel from various monsters he'd encountered wherever he went. Galexia didn't think so, but she had bigger things to worry about than a funny smelling teacher.

Harry seemed to have been relieved at finding that Galexia, and a good deal of other students, didn't have the first clue about the wizarding world when they started. Galexia hadn't even been concerned at such notions, other ideas about being found by dark witches or wizards, or even the Ministry of Magic, always seemed more pressing, as that would most likely cost her her head.

Galexia had just led Harry and Ron down to the Great Hall for breakfast one Friday morning (although she kept encouraging them to pick the direction so they could find their own way). They sat down and began picking out their breakfasts.

"What have we got today?" Harry asked Galexia piled her plate full of bacon and toast.

"Double Potions with the Slytherins" Ron replied, "Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favours them- we'll be able to see if it's true"

"It is, I hear him sometimes in the corridors. Always taking away the other House's points. He's definitely bias if you ask me" Galexia grumbled, spitting toast crumbs everywhere.

"Wish McGonagall favoured us" Harry muttered.

"Oh lay off Aunt- Professor McGonagall. I swear I'll stop that one of these days. She's doing what she thinks is best and she only gives as much as you can handle" 

"You wouldn't say that if you'd gotten the massive pile of homework she gave us" Ron snapped.

"I did get that pile, she just offers me help and gives me some extra time. And,  _I'm sorry Ron_ , it must  _suck_  being able to  _read and write_ like a  _normal_ eleven year old" Galexia growled, "Or had you forgotten I was a wee bit behind for some real shitty reasons?"

Ron opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the mail arriving. Galexia never expected anything at all, considering there was no one to give her anything, but she always enjoyed petting Hedwig if she ever came by for some grub. This morning, however, she had brought Harry a letter, dropping it right on his plate.

"It's from Hagrid, isn't it?" Galexia asked, sniffing the air.

"Dear Harry," Harry read aloud,   
"I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three? Don't forget your friends! I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig.  
Hagrid"

Harry grabbed Ron's quill to scribble something on the back before sending it off with Hedwig again. Galexia was rather looking forward to visiting Hagrid, she needed a break from this daily sensory overload.

They made their way over to Potions, which Galexia found was the worst lesson of all. The classroom was freezing, and since Galexia was far more cold blooded than the rest of them, this made her feel much worse. Harry had commented on the creepiness of pickled bits of animals floating in jars around the place along with it being in a damp, freezing dungeon, but that's not what made Galexia's skin crawl, so instead she just froze through the whole thing.

It also seemed Snape hadn't gotten the memo that Galexia was lagging behind everyone and that she just needed some extra time to get things written down, because whenever she was last to put her quill down (which was all the time) he would make some snide remark. Galexia had stifled so many growls and shifts by the time the class was over, she thought it must have been a world record.

Besides that, Snape seemed to love to pick on Harry, which made her mad. 

When the class began and Snape went through the names, he paused at Harry's and glanced at him, "Ah, yes" his voice was soft, but had an underlying cunning edge, like he was secretly plotting to kill you, "Harry Potter. Our new-  _celebrity_ "

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle sniggered across the class, making Galexia's fist clench on the table top. Those pathetic weaklings wouldn't last a day in the wilds, she thought, I'd have torn their throats out long ago and done the world a service.

After Snape had finished reading the names, he looked at the class with cold, black eyes.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of a softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses. I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death- if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach" he spoke in a strange whisper that was able to keep the class silent, but Galexia's mind was already drifting away to cruel ways of killing Malfoy and his friends.

Harry and Ron exchanged glances while Hermione was on the edge of her seat, listening intently. Galexia practically had to yank her back.

"Potter!" Snape snapped suddenly, making Galexia wince a little, "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Harry glanced at Ron. Galexia's attention got completely drawn away by Hermione's arm as it shot into the air.

"I don't know, sir" Harry muttered. 

"Tut, tut- fame clearly isn't everything" Snape sneered, continuing to ignore Hermione's hand, "Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

"I don't know, sir" Harry muttered again, much to the amusement of Malfoy and his friends

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh Potter?" Snape sneered, making Galexia stifle a growl. She absolutely hated when people used whatever power they had to intimidate and humiliate others.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" Snape went on.

Hermione actually stood up in her attempt to attract attention.

"I don't know. I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?" Harry replied quietly. A few people laughed, Galexia included, which seemed to make Snape very annoyed.

"Sit down" he snapped at Hermione, "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite" he paused as he glared at the room "Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"

The sound of rummaging for equipment broke the silence with Snape shouting "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter!" over them.

Snape put them in pairs to mix a cure for boils potion. Galexia was made to work with Hermione, which made her feel much better, as Hermione would more than make up for Galexia's slowness and inevitable failure. Snape paced around the room, watching each pair with glaring eyes as they prepared ingredients and mixed them in. He seemed to find something to criticise with everyone, except Malfoy of course. Just as he was showing off Malfoy's potion, foul smelling green smoke that made Galexia choke and a hissing filled the class. Neville had turned someone's cauldron to nothing more than a blob and the potion was burning into the stone floor and people's shoes. The students were scrabbling to get away from the acidic liquid, standing on stools or tables, except Neville, who was groaning in pain covered in red boils.

"Idiot boy!" Snape shouted, waving his wand to clean the place, "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"

Neville only whimpered in reply, which made Galexia take a step forward, ready to defend him, but Hermione grabbed her arm and held her back.

"Take him up to the hospital wing" Snape snapped at Neville's partner before turning to Harry and Ron, "You- Potter- why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor"

"Gods I hate him" Galexia hissed to Hermione as she returned to the cauldron, which was bubbling away nicely

"Hate is a strong word," Hermione replied quietly, "I mean, he isn't very nice, but I don't think he's hate-worthy"

"I bet you he was bullied in school or something, so now he's taking it out on people he has power over to make himself feel better" Galexia growled, "If that's the case, he's pathetic. I was bullied constantly when I was a kid and I'm not bullying random people"

Hermione remained silent as she looked at the recipe again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Galexia caught back up with Harry and Ron as they made their way back up the steps. Harry looked rather sad.

"Why so glum, chum?" she asked as she pushed herself beside them.

"I've lost two points in my first week" Harry replied with his head hung low.

"Cheer up. Snape's always taking points off Fred and George" Ron said, "Can I come and meet Hagrid with you?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A little while later, they made their way over to Hagrid's place. Galexia relished the scent, a perfect mix of human civilisation and wilderness. She found it very relaxing after being overwhelmed by throngs of humans for hours on end.

Harry knocked on the door, which was met with Fang bounding around and barking and Hagrid telling him to relax. He opened the door a little and smiled at them.

"Hang on.  _Back_ , Fang!"

Hagrid pulled the door completely open and let them all in, holding the dog back by his collar.

"Make yerselves at home" Hagrid released the creature, which butted its head against Galexia before bounding to Ron and licking his ears.

"This is Ron" Harry introduced as Hagrid set out some tea and rock cakes.

"Another Weasley, eh? I spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest" Hagrid glanced at Ron's freckles.

"Don't worry, this one is harmless" Galexia smirked, much to Ron's annoyed face.

The rock cakes were Hagrid's usual lumps of raisins that Galexia was sure were made from actual rocks, yet Galexia enjoyed them. Harry and Ron noticed she liked them and carefully slid their own cakes to her so they weren't wasted. The kids excitedly told Hagrid of their first few days while Fang drooled over them. Galexia found Harry and Ron's delighted expressions at Hagrid's reference to Filch as an old git rather hilarious.

"An' as fer that cat, Mrs Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime" Hagrid grumbled, "D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her-Filch puts her up to it"

They continued to recount the horror of Snape's lesson. Harry seemed intent that Snape hated him in particular.

"Rubbish! Why should he?" Hagrid shook his head.

"Because he's a dick" Galexia growled, "He keeps shouting at me for writing slow"

"I'm sure he jus' thinks you can do a lot more than yeh think"

"You mean a lot more than I can actually do" Galexia growled, fingers tapping on the tabletop.

"How's yer brother Charlie?" Hagrid turned to Ron, "I liked him a lot- great with animals"

Ron went through much of Charlie's study of dragons with snarky interjections from Galexia, reminding them of how rough any interaction with dragons can be. Harry seemed to have lost interest in their conversation and was reading a newspaper article on the table.

"I really don't know why you like dragons so much Hagrid" Galexia shook her head, "they aren't that nice"

"Yeah, she's kinda right" Ron muttered, "I've seen the scars Charlie gets from them when he visits"

"Hagrid!" Harry suddenly shouted, making Galexia jump, "that Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"

Hagrid grunted something and offered them another rock cake. Galexia exchanged looks with Harry and Ron. That was very suspicious. They didn't press the issue, but as they returned to the castle, Galexia mulled over how Hagrid had acted. What was in that package? It had a strange scent and a weird enchantment aura, so what could it possibly be? Where was it now? And why did Hagrid defend Snape?


End file.
